South Korea’s Han Dong-hoon Seeks Two-Year Delay to Crypto Tax
Former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon has urged South Korea to delay its planned crypto tax by at least two years. The levy is scheduled to begin Jan. 1, 2027, with a combined 22% rate on qualifying annual gains above 2.5 million won.
Han argues that authorities still lack enough overseas trading data to enforce the tax consistently. He specifically cited different timelines for countries adopting the OECD’s Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework, or CARF. Han said investors could shift activity to overseas exchanges, decentralized finance platforms, or private wallets if South Korea taxes domestic activity before cross-border reporting becomes broader.
Meanwhile, South Korean authorities continue preparing for the 2027 launch. The government says tax infrastructure has advanced, while lawmakers have introduced separate proposals seeking delays of two or three years. A parliamentary petition seeking another delay has also passed the threshold for legislative review.
Why it matters
The dispute could affect how South Korean investors structure crypto holdings and trading activity. A delay would also give authorities more time to build cross-border reporting and enforcement systems.
