South Korea Crypto Tax Faces Fourth Delay as 2029 Plan Emerges

• Officials are reportedly considering a fourth postponement, potentially moving implementation to 2029.
• The current plan taxes annual qualifying gains above a 2.5 million won deduction at 22%.
• South Korea targets CARF exchanges from 2027, while the United States has committed to 2029.

The South Korea crypto tax could face a fourth postponement, with officials reportedly considering implementation in 2029. The presidential office is discussing another delay with government agencies, according to Newsis. However, no final decision has been announced. The levy remains scheduled to begin on January 1, 2027, unless lawmakers amend the existing legislation.

South Korea crypto tax debate centers on overseas data

The proposed levy applies to income from transferring or lending virtual assets. It carries a 22% rate, including local tax, after an annual basic deduction of 2.5 million won.

Introduced through a 2020 amendment to the Income Tax Act, the measure originally targeted a January 2022 start. Three postponements followed amid concerns about tax administration and investor protection.

The South Korea crypto tax debate now focuses partly on access to overseas transaction records. According to Newsis, officials consider missing U.S. trading information a significant obstacle to consistent enforcement. 

The OECD’s Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework provides for automatic exchanges of crypto transaction information between participating tax authorities. Its September commitment list places South Korea in the 2027 group and the United States in 2029.

These dates concern information exchanges, rather than requiring countries to introduce identical taxes. CARF does not itself set South Korea’s tax rate or implementation date.

South Korea crypto tax proposals await legislative review

Industry representatives argue that incomplete overseas reporting could create unequal treatment between users of domestic and foreign platforms. They also want stronger investor protections before taxation begins.

Democratic Party lawmaker Park Min-gyu has proposed a timetable that would move implementation to 2029. A separate proposal from People Power Party lawmaker Song Eon-seok seeks to remove the virtual-asset income tax provisions entirely.

The South Korea crypto tax proposals therefore involve different outcomes: postponement would preserve the levy, while repeal would eliminate it. Neither proposal should be treated as an enacted change.

Government consultations are expected to shape the position presented during parliamentary tax-law deliberations. Newsis reported that discussions could run from late November into early December, with any revised start requiring legislative action.

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