담배소비세 세율 변동시 재고담배에 대한 과세방안

Abstract

Korean government has recently raised tobacco tax rate on January 1, 2015. In the process of change in tax rates, tobacco manufacturers, distributors, importers and exporters have gained additional profit due to increase in the tax rates through strategic stockpiling of tobacco. Considering the low level of tobacco prices compared to other developed countries and the policy of public health promotion, further increases in overall tax rates of tobacco, including local tobacco excise tax rate, will be inevitable. In Korea, however, there is no systematic mechanism to reduce incentives for strategic stockpiling of tobacco yet. Therefore we will experience the same side-effect without the incentive reduction mechanism when tobacco tax rates increase in the future. The purpose of this study is to propose local floor stocks tax on tobacco as a device that fundamentally reduces the incentive for strategic stockpiling of tobacco in the process of change in tax rates. The necessity of the taxation is examined in terms of government revenues, market distortions, and horizontal tax equity. This study specifically presents taxation requirements of the local floor stocks tax considering overseas cases and current local tobacco excise tax system in Korea.