Chip boom set to push Korea's excess tax revenue above $37 billion

Korea is on track to collect more than 50 trillion won in excess tax revenue this year, driven largely by strong semiconductor earnings, government insiders said Sunday. The Ministry of Finance and Economy will release an updated 2026 tax revenue forecast Wednesday. The windfall could also lift the Future Fund, with potential resources reaching 212.3 trillion won if combined with additional tax revenue.

The government had already raised its 2026 national tax revenue forecast by 25.2 trillion won to 415.4 trillion won in the supplementary budget passed in April.

National tax revenue reached 274 trillion won from January to July, up 41.4 trillion won from a year earlier.

Corporate tax receipts for January to July rose 4.4 trillion won to 51.8 trillion won, while income tax collections increased 12.2 trillion won to 89.3 trillion won.

Samsung Electronics and SK hynix reported cumulative operating profits of 146.7 trillion won and 98.2 trillion won, respectively, for the first half.

Budget Minister Park Hong-geun said the government will decide how the additional revenue is used after the updated tax estimate is finalized.

Published Sep 27, 2026 2:40 pm KST

Samsung, SK hynix corporate tax payments key to revenue windfall

Samsung Electronics' Hwaseong plant in Gyeonggi Province / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics

Korea is on track to collect more than 50 trillion won ($37 billion) more in tax revenue than projected earlier this year, as robust earnings in the semiconductor sector are set to bolster coffers, according to government insiders Sunday.

The excess tax revenue could also substantially increase the resources available for the Future Fund, a new fiscal vehicle included in the government’s 2027 budget proposal, potentially exceeding 200 trillion won in total.

The Ministry of Finance and Economy is scheduled to unveil an updated forecast for 2026 national tax revenue Wednesday, together with its August tax collection data.

The government had already revised its annual tax revenue forecast upward when it drew up the supplementary budget passed by the National Assembly in April. The estimate was raised by 25.2 trillion won to 415.4 trillion won from 390.2 trillion won under the original budget.

Should tax receipts exceed the revised estimate by more than 50 trillion won, annual national tax revenue would rise to about 465.4 trillion won. That would easily eclipse the previous record of 395.5 trillion won in 2022 and mark an increase of more than 90 trillion won from last year.

Tax collection figures available so far have already shown marked improvement.

Between January and July, national tax revenue totaled 274 trillion won, an increase of 41.4 trillion won from the same period a year earlier, according to the finance ministry.

Corporate tax receipts for the same period climbed 4.4 trillion won to 51.8 trillion won as companies reported stronger earnings. Income tax collections, meanwhile, increased 12.2 trillion won to 89.3 trillion won, supported by higher performance-based bonuses and an increase in property transactions.

Revenue from securities transaction taxes surged 348.5 percent from a year earlier to 8.2 trillion won amid a KOSPI bull run. The special tax for rural areas, which is linked to KOSPI trading activity, also soared 182.5 percent to 13.1 trillion won.

Budget Minister Park Hong-geun presents the government’s 2027 budget proposal during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, Sept. 1. Yonhap

For excess tax revenue to exceed the 50 trillion won mark, tax collections between August and December would have to exceed 191.4 trillion won.

The government expects that target to be within reach, largely due to interim corporate tax payments from semiconductor companies, which will be reflected in the August and September figures.

Corporate tax receipts through July stood at 51.8 trillion won, up 4.4 trillion won from a year earlier, but the figure does not yet include interim payments from corporations that close their books in December.

The impact could be substantial, given the strong first-half earnings of Korea’s two chip giants. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix recorded cumulative operating profits of 146.7 trillion won and 98.2 trillion won respectively, bringing their combined figure to nearly 245 trillion won. Their interim corporate tax payments are expected to play a significant role in determining the final amount of tax revenue for the year, and the amount in the Future Fund.

The fund is intended to finance investment in youth, future growth engines, regional development and education, with the broader goal of raising Korea’s potential growth rate. It is also designed to serve as a fiscal buffer that can be tapped if weaker tax collection leaves the government facing a revenue shortfall.

At the heart of the fund is 162.3 trillion won in what the government defines as “additional tax revenue.” Under a formula established by the Ministry of Planning and Budget, any domestic tax revenue exceeding the baseline trend, calculated using the average annual growth rate over the past 10 years, will be classified as additional tax revenue and earmarked for the fund.

That 162.3 trillion won is separate from the excess revenue expected to emerge from the government’s revised estimate for this year.

Combining the 162.3 trillion won with projected excess tax revenue for 2026 would put the potential pool of resources at 212.3 trillion won.

Still, whether the entire amount of excess tax revenue will ultimately flow into the Future Fund has yet to be determined. The government plans to decide how the additional revenue will be used once the updated tax estimate is finalized.

“Once the final amount of excess tax revenue is confirmed, we plan to go through internal discussions and also consult with the presidential office and the Ministry of Finance and Economy,” Budget Minister Park Hong-geun said at a press briefing on Sept. 17.

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韩国政府内部人士周日表示，受半导体行业强劲盈利的推动，韩国今年有望获得超过50万亿韩元的额外税收收入。韩国财政经济部将于周三发布更新后的2026年税收收入预测。这笔意外之财也可能提振未来基金，如果加上额外的税收收入，该基金的潜在规模将达到212.3万亿韩元。

政府在4月份通过的补充预算中，已经将2026年国家税收收入预测提高了25.2万亿韩元，达到415.4万亿韩元。

今年1月至7月，韩国国家税收收入达到274万亿韩元，比上年同期增加41.4万亿韩元。

1月至7月，企业所得税收入增加4.4万亿韩元，达到51.8万亿韩元；个人所得税收入增加12.2万亿韩元，达到89.3万亿韩元。

三星电子和SK海力士公布的上半年累计营业利润分别为146.7万亿韩元和98.2万亿韩元。

财政部长朴洪根表示，政府将在更新后的税收估算最终确定后，决定如何使用这笔额外的收入。

发布于2026年9月27日下午2:40（韩国标准时间）

三星和SK海力士的企业所得税缴纳是其收入暴增的关键

三星电子位于京畿道华城的工厂 / 图片由三星电子提供

据政府内部人士周日透露，由于半导体行业的强劲盈利将增加国库收入，韩国今年的税收收入有望比年初的预期多出 50 万亿韩元（370 亿美元）。

超额税收收入还可以大幅增加未来基金的可用资源，未来基金是政府 2027 年预算提案中包含的一项新的财政工具，总额可能超过 200 万亿韩元。

财政经济部计划于周三公布2026年国家税收收入的最新预测，以及8月份的税收数据。

政府在4月份向国会提交补充预算时，就已经上调了年度税收收入预测。与原预算相比，该预测值增加了25.2万亿韩元，从390.2万亿韩元增至415.4万亿韩元。

如果税收收入比修订后的预估高出50万亿韩元以上，年度国家税收收入将增至约465.4万亿韩元。这将轻松超越2022年创下的395.5万亿韩元的纪录，并比去年增加90万亿韩元以上。

目前已公布的税收数据表明，税收情况已显著改善。

据财政部统计，今年1月至7月，韩国国家税收总额达274万亿韩元，比上年同期增加41.4万亿韩元。

由于企业盈利状况良好，同期企业所得税收入增加4.4万亿韩元，达到51.8万亿韩元。与此同时，受绩效奖金增加和房地产交易量增长的推动，个人所得税收入也增加12.2万亿韩元，达到89.3万亿韩元。

受韩国综合股价指数（KOSPI）牛市行情的推动，证券交易税收入较上年同期飙升348.5%，达到8.2万亿韩元。与KOSPI交易活动挂钩的农村地区特别税也大幅增长182.5%，达到13.1万亿韩元。

9月1日，韩国预算部长官朴洪根在首尔总统府举行的内阁会议上提交了政府2027年预算提案。（韩联社）

要使超额税收收入超过 50 万亿韩元，8 月至 12 月的税收必须超过 191.4 万亿韩元。

政府预计这一目标有望实现，这主要得益于半导体公司缴纳的临时企业所得税，这些税款将在 8 月和 9 月的数据中体现出来。

截至7月份，企业所得税收入为51.8万亿韩元，比上年同期增加4.4万亿韩元，但该数字尚未包括12月份结账的企业的期中缴款。

鉴于韩国两大芯片巨头上半年强劲的盈利表现，其影响可能相当显著。三星电子和SK海力士分别录得累计营业利润146.7万亿韩元和98.2万亿韩元，合计接近245万亿韩元。预计它们的期中企业所得税缴纳情况将在决定全年最终税收收入和未来基金的数额方面发挥重要作用。

该基金旨在为青年、未来增长引擎、区域发展和教育领域的投资提供资金，其更广泛的目标是提高韩国的潜在增长率。此外，该基金还可作为财政缓冲，在税收征管不畅导致政府面临财政收入短缺时动用。

该基金的核心是162.3万亿韩元，政府将其定义为“额外税收收入”。根据计划预算部制定的公式，任何超过基准趋势（以过去10年的平均年增长率计算）的国内税收收入都将被归类为额外税收收入，并拨入该基金。

这162.3万亿韩元与政府今年修订后的财政预算预计产生的超额收入是分开的。

将 162.3 万亿韩元与 2026 年预计的超额税收收入相结合，潜在资源池将达到 212.3 万亿韩元。

不过，所有超额税收最终是否会全部流入未来基金，目前尚未确定。政府计划在更新后的税收估算最终确定后，再决定如何使用这笔额外收入。

“一旦最终确定超额税收收入数额，我们将进行内部讨论，并与总统府和财政经济部进行磋商，”预算部长官朴洪根在9月17日的新闻发布会上表示。

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