Korean National Tax Service: If there is suspicion that tax evaders are hiding cryptocurrency assets, they will conduct home searches and confiscate cold wallet devices
ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, the Korean National Tax Service is intensifying its crackdown on tax evasion, warning that cryptocurrency assets stored in cold wallets may also be seized.Officials stated that if there is suspicion that tax evaders are hiding cryptocurrency assets offline, they will conduct home searches and confiscate hard drives and cold wallet devices. Under the National Tax Collection Act, the National Tax Service can request local exchanges to provide account information, freeze accounts, and liquidate assets to offset taxes. While cold wallets can ensure the security of cryptocurrency assets, they may also be used to hide assets, increasing the difficulty of tax administration. As of June, there were nearly 11 million cryptocurrency investors in the country, an increase of nearly 800% compared to 2020; during the same period, trading volume rose from 1 trillion won (approximately 730 million USD) to 6.4 trillion won (approximately 4.7 billion USD). The popularity of cryptocurrencies has led to an increase in tax evasion cases, with the first action in 2021 seizing approximately 50 million USD in cryptocurrency, and over the past four years, 108 million USD has been seized and liquidated.