Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Daechidong Waygookin]

How much raxes do you guys pay? Im at about 3%. With taxes so low, how can this country actually operate at all?

[VanIslander]

A ton of hidden sales taxes on manufactured items doesn't cripple domestic production because of heavy import restrictions on major consumer goods like electronics and automobiles; property taxes; corporate taxes on chaebol raking in heavy profits from governmental policies which are preferential and protectionistic.

Or so the editorials in the Herald have occasionally bemoaned.

[Rather_Dashing]

[kangnamdragon]

Koreans understand that lowering taxes helps the economy, in effect boosting tax revenue overall. Why can't American liberals understand this?

[funplanet]

simple, my friend...

liberals understand that their so-called social programs create dependency whilst eliminating personal responsibility

liberals are willing to pay more taxes to fund the programs that keep their constituencies coming back for more, therefore voting them back in office time after time....

it's about gaining power through dependency

[komtengi]

mind you they have a crap health system, no benefits for those that require them, plus their education system is pathetic.

[Daechidong Waygookin]

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[chronicpride]

[babtangee]

[mindmetoo]

It's pay as you go. Pay for public school, pay for health care, pay for garbage disposal. The social welfare system isn't a huge drain as Korean families tend to take care of their eldery and unemployed. If you look at most Western nation's budgets welfare, health care, and public education are the three biggest slices of the pie.

There's a sales tax we never actually see as it's built in. Lord knows what Koreans pay in tax to drive a car. In Washington state, it has no state income tax. In lieu, it would tax you based on the value of your car. You paid upwards of $400 a year for the right to drive in Washington state.

[schwa]

Big chunk of the education budget here gets paid at the gas pump.

[J.B. Clamence]

[shakuhachi]

Korea can function because every man and his dog isnt recieving some sort of handout/benefit from the government. In Australia, the goverment was even found to be funneling money to terrorists through money they granted to a Islamic 'community group'.

[Son Deureo!]

Let's not forget that a lot of the work that would otherwise be done by paid government employees is done by young males doing their two years of national slave labor, er... service.

Not just the army, but also beat cops, subway security, forest rangers, dong and gu office staff, doctors in poor communities, and many many other jobs in this country are being done by young men making around 50,000 won per month.

It seems unfair, but it sure does keep the taxes lower here.