South Korean City Seizes Crypto from Tax Delinquents, Establishes Government Trading Account
Cheongju, the capital of North Chungcheong Province, has confiscated cryptocurrencies from 203 residents since 2021 for unpaid local taxes. The city has taken a pioneering step by opening a trading account on a domestic exchange, leveraging recent regulatory changes that permit government entities to engage in crypto transactions.
Authorities now possess the legal framework to compel exchanges to disclose wallet data and forcibly transfer assets to municipal custody. "We will sell coins directly," officials stated, converting seized crypto into fiat for treasury replenishment. The latest enforcement action targeted 161 individuals, signaling heightened scrutiny of digital asset holdings among tax evaders.