국세청은 국내 매출 500억원 이상인 1,170여개의 기업에 대해 세무조사 강화하고 현재 3~4개월인 세무조사 기간을 6~8개월으로 늘리겠다는 입장이다. 이러한 고강도 세무조사를 위해, 국세청은 조사 인력을 추가적으로 투입했으며, 기업 세금 탈루 관련 내부정보 고발자에게 더 큰 보상을 하겠다고 전했다.
감사원은 기획재정부 및 국세청에서 거래의 대부분이 재벌 총수의 일가 이자 계열사 사이에서 이루어지는 대기업의 증여세 부과 관련 세금이 제대로 매겨지지 않았다며 지적했다.
이에 감사원은 국세청에 현대차, SK, 롯데 등 대기업 9곳의 일감 몰아주기 행태와 증여재산가액 산정 방법의 개선이 필요하다고 촉구했다.
이러한 방침은, 엄격한 세금 부과를 통해 임기 5년동안 135조원의 재원을 마련하겠다는 박근혜 정부의 복지공약을 이행하기 위함이다.
또한 재정정보 및 거래내역 조작으로 탈세해 온 개인 고소득 사업자를 중심으로 세무조사를 강화할 방침이며, 노무현 정부 때 제기된 재벌을 둘러싼 경영권 이전 관련 불법 행위를 금지를 통해 재원을 마련할 방침이다.
하지만, 국내 세무조사 비율은 선진국과 비교시 턱없이 낮은 실정이며, 실제로 국내 기업에 대한 세무조사 비율은 1% 내외로 미국(1.33%), 일본(4.17%)보다 낮다. (코리아헤럴드 박형기 기자/ 번역 최인정)
<관련 영문 기사>
Korean big companies to face tougher tax probes
By Park Hyong-ki
Big businesses are expected to face stringent tax audits and probes by the country’s tax agency following a state auditor’s demand for strengthened tax regulations.
The National Tax Service said that it plans to boost its tax inspections on companies with sales of more than 50 billion won ($44.2 million), which amounts to about 1,170 enterprises in the country, as well as increase the duration of its regular audits to six to eight months from the current three to four months.
The tax collecting agency has, to this end, expanded the number of its auditors, while providing a bigger award to those with inside information on companies allegedly evading tax payments.
Also, the Board of Audit and Inspection had pointed out that the Ministry of Strategy and Finance and the NTS failed to properly enforce a law levying gift taxes on conglomerates which furnish most of their contracts to founders of their subsidiaries, who also happen to be family members of their group owners.
The state auditor urged the tax agency to improve measures on gift taxation and devise a reasonable guideline on such tax levies on nine conglomerates, including Hyundai Motor, SK and Lotte which are known for transferring operational ownership to their subsidiaries owned by relatives.
This comes as the incumbent government seeks to secure 135 trillion won over the next five years of President Park Geun-hye’s term to finance welfare projects mostly through stricter tax levies.
It is also eyeing the superrich and private-business people in the black market who have easily evaded taxes by boosting its financial information system, enabling transparency of transactions for taxation on unofficial currency traders, money lenders and gas distributors among others.
The gift tax, which was introduced during the former Roh Moo-hyun administration as a means to prohibit illegal transfers of ownership between family members associated with chaebol, would also be used to increase state revenue.
Korea’s tax probes on companies remain low when compared to other advanced countries. Only about 1 percent of companies are scrutinized over their taxes, compared with 1.33 percent in the U.S. and 4.17 percent in Japan per year. (
hkp@heraldcorp.com)
