[Kimy Myong-Sik] Misadventure over income tax on the clergy
By Kim Myong-Sik (Former editorial writer of The Korean Herald - Ed.)
Published: 2013-01-23 20:10
Updated: 2013-01-23 20:10
Published: 2013-01-23 20:10
Updated: 2013-01-23 20:10
Many income tax collections from Christian ministers and Buddhist priests suppose that churches and temples are major areas of the hidden economy. Christian activist who oppose the income tax levy claim that payments to church pastors are subsidies for their evangelical services and are not taxable "wages" for their work. An official quote as saying that a maximum of 300 billion won could be collected annually from churches and temples. Christians who Kim Myong-Sik have met did not want a totally tax-free church but the right minded people would consider paying for their annual taxation. Many employee's at churches and temples that work for the holy lord are confused about paying taxation for their duties to serve the lord. Some Christians/Buddhist believe to pay tax to the state in return for what the state has done for them, and they do pay taxes as long as they can afford to. It doesn't matter whether their salaries are considered payments for their labor or the congregation's token of appreciation for their guidance in prayers and worship services.
I feel that Pastors of Church and Temples shouldn't need to pay the annual income tax as everyone else in South Korea because they're job does not have much of a great salary although they do receive donations for the church and temples but that is just for improvement of the shrine for the holy lord not for Pastors payment towards taxes. The Priests/Pastors should at least have some sort of special income payment instead of the average amount that each citizen should pay. Government authorities used the tax exemption practices as leverages to induce conciliation. The Bishops Conference of Korea announced the Korean Catholic Church's decision to pay income tax for priests in 1994. There are least 19 tax law provisions excluding assets of religious institutions from taxable objects, but the Income Tax Law does not specify exemptions for the clergy. All Koreans who earn more than the exemption level should pay taxes just as all healthy Koran males should serve in the armed forces. |