Certain areas of Andong City and Uiseong County in North Gyeongsang Province were designated as special disaster zones on the 7th of this month due to damage caused by heavy downpours in July. Accordingly, the National Tax Service plans to provide maximum tax administrative support within the limits permitted by law to help taxpayers in the affected areas recover quickly from the damage.

■ Target Areas for Tax Support This support applies to taxpayers who reside in or operate businesses in Namseon-myeon, Iljik-myeon, and Imha-myeon in Andong City, as well as Danchon-myeon in Uiseong County.

■ Key Tax Support Measures To ease the burden on affected taxpayers, the National Tax Service has established a dedicated counter for rain damage tax support at the Andong Tax Office, where consultations and applications will be processed promptly.

• Extension of Tax Filing and Payment Deadlines: Upon request, the filing and payment deadlines for various taxes, including corporate tax, value-added tax, and comprehensive income tax, can be extended by up to two years. For assessed national taxes, an application for a payment deadline extension of up to two years is also available.
• Automatic Extension of Corporate Tax Interim Prepayment Deadline: To reduce the burden on businesses, the interim corporate tax prepayment due by the end of August will be automatically extended by two months to the end of October, without requiring a separate application.
• Deferral of Seizure and Sale of Delinquent Taxes: Taxpayers with delinquent taxes may apply for a deferral of seizure or a deferral of the sale of seized assets for up to two years. Tax collateral will be waived to the greatest extent possible during this period.
• Suspension of Tax Audits and Expedited Refund Payments: Tax audits will be suspended for affected taxpayers, including those engaged in agriculture, livestock farming, and orchard farming, who have received prior notice of an audit or are currently under audit. Additionally, any national tax refunds will be disbursed as quickly as possible.
• Disaster Loss Tax Credit: Business owners who have lost 20% or more of their business assets due to heavy rain may receive a tax deduction on their income tax or corporate tax in proportion to the percentage of assets lost. However, an application for the disaster loss tax credit must be submitted within three months from the date of the disaster.

■ How to Apply for Tax Support Applications for tax support can be made by visiting the dedicated counter at the Andong Tax Office or by mail. When using Hometax (online), applicants can apply by selecting the 'Application for Extension of Filing and Payment Deadline' menu under the 'Tax-related Application and Reporting Common Area' within the 'Certificate and Registration Application' menu.