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Local Governments Launch Settlement Drives for 160 Million KRW and 18 Million KRW in Unclaimed Local Tax Refunds

Donpoong Editorial TeamPublished

Local governments launched intensive settlement drives for unclaimed local tax refunds, including 160 million KRW in Yangsan and about 18 million KRW in Ongjin County. Taxpayers can check and claim funds via Wetax and mobile apps before the five-year statutory expiration window.

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Verified Facts and Reports

According to a report by NewsTown on 2026-10-15, the city of Yangsan announced that it will strengthen notifications and payouts to return 160 million KRW in unclaimed local tax refunds to taxpayers. Yangsan plans to run an intensive campaign to find unclaimed local tax refunds for the second half of the year from October 16 to October 30. The municipality stated that it will encourage citizens to apply for refunds through a combination of ex officio refunds using previously registered refund accounts alongside postal and mobile notices. Furthermore, the city explained that as of the end of September, unclaimed local tax refunds in Yangsan reached approximately 8,500 cases totaling 160 million KRW. The report added that the initiative is intended to reduce unclaimed refunds and protect taxpayer rights, noting that claims expire if local tax refunds are not claimed within 5 years. In addition, the article reported that taxpayers can check and apply for refunds through Wetax, the Smart Wetax mobile application, the automated telephone response service for local tax revenues, the Kakao channel for Yangsan local tax refunds, and inquiries to the Yangsan Taxation Division, with applications remaining available year-round even after the intensive campaign concludes.

According to a report by Sports DongA on 2026-10-15, Ongjin County announced that it will conduct an intensive settlement drive until November 30 to disburse approximately 18 million KRW across 455 cases of local tax refunds that have not yet been returned to taxpayers. The report noted that starting in mid-October, Ongjin County plans to dispatch notifications collectively to eligible recipients and encourage refund applications through the county website, text messages, and Kakao notification talk. Refund applications can be filed by telephone, the KakaoTalk channel for Incheon Ongjin County Local Tax Notifier, the Wetax website, and the Smart Wetax mobile application. It was also noted that registering a refund account in advance enables any subsequent refunds to be deposited automatically without requiring separate applications.

Donpoong Perspective

From the perspective of individuals and households, local tax refunds represent tangible financial assets that can be forfeited upon the expiration of the statutory limitation period if not actively checked and claimed. As reflected in the news reports, local governments establish designated intensive settlement periods and send out notices via mail and electronic documents; however, households frequently risk missing these notifications due to address relocations or updated contact details. Consequently, regardless of whether a formal notice is received, developing the routine of periodically checking for dormant unclaimed tax refunds under one's own name via Wetax or its mobile application serves as an effective personal asset management practice. Moreover, setting up advance account registration represents a rational approach, as it ensures safe and automated receipts of reimbursement funds without necessitating repetitive filing procedures.

Practical Application and Checkpoints

When taxpayers seek to claim unclaimed tax refunds in practice, several essential checkpoints should be observed. First, verify the statutory limitation period governing local tax refund claims. Because the legal right to collect unclaimed refunds held by municipalities expires after the statutory filing window lapses, prompt verification is essential. Second, look up refund details after completing personal authentication through certified public channels, such as the Wetax official website, the Smart Wetax mobile app, telephone customer desks for local taxes, or official Kakao channels. Third, check whether an automatic ex officio payout is being processed via previously registered bank accounts if past refund records exist, and register a personal bank account under one's own name to enable automatic deposits if currently unregistered. Finally, because applications remain open year-round even after each local government's intensive campaign finishes, taxpayers can inquire and receive unclaimed amounts at any point without being constrained by campaign deadlines. Nevertheless, because there is an inherent risk of financial fraud and voice phishing impersonating municipal notices, taxpayers must refrain from clicking ambiguous web links embedded in text messages and instead access services directly through official portals and applications.

Sources and Reference Date

Sources and References

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