• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.123-159
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• 2013

We use a multi-regional dynamic computable general equilibrium model to explain an economic effect of $CO_2$ tax on the national and regional economy of Korea. First, we compare two $CO_2$ taxes: a region-specific $CO_2$ tax and a uniform $CO_2$ tax. In the region-specific tax, the $CO_2$ tax rate in the capital area and the south-eastern region is much greater than those in other regions. GDP loss resulting from the region-specific tax is bigger than that in the uniform tax. Second, we consider three options for tax recycling: consumption tax recycling, labor-income tax recycling, and corporate-income tax recycling. The corporate-income tax recycling has the least GDP-loss effect over the three options. These results support that it is more efficient to use a uniform $CO_2$ tax rate than a region-specific $CO_2$ tax rate and that the corporate-income tax recycling is more desirable in a sense of efficiency than the consumption and labor-income tax recycling options.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.711-731
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• 2022

In Korea, nuclear power plants are major sources of electricity supply with relatively low costs. Despite the importance and scale of nuclear electricity generation, the Korean tax and levy system is less organized than those in other countries, such as France and Japan, where nuclear power plants also play significant roles for electricity supply. Countries impose tax on nuclear electricity generation roughly in three ways: tax on nuclear reactors; tax on uranium fuel; tax on electricity from nuclear power plants. The Korean government may consider taxing nuclear electricity generation based on uranium fuel or electricity generation. If taxing on uranium fuel at the rate of 90 KRW per milligram of uranium, the Korean government can collect additional tax revenue of 430 billion KRW. If taxing on electricity from nuclear power plants at the rate of 11 KRW per kilowatt-hour, the government can collect additional tax revenue of 1,600 billion KRW.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.397-425
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• 2003

This paper develops a simple theoretical model that is consistent with the empirical evidence of an inverted U-shpated relationship between pollution and per capita income, which is so-called environmental Kuznets curve in this literature. Also, by incorporating the issue of environmental externality into an endogenous growth model, I investigate the circumstances under which growth can be sustained with the optimal control of pollution, and hence the sustainable development can be achieved. In order to study the problem of implementing the social optimum in a market economy, I examine the optimality of three different kinds of environmental policy instruments; pollution tax, pollution-permit trading system (pollution voucher), and direct regulation. This paper shows that the optimum can be implemented with a pollution tax or with a voucher system. Also, it is shown that the socially optimal rate of pollution tax should increase proportionally to the growth rate of consumption.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.531-559
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• 2022

It is necessary to study the need for introduction of nuclear energy tax in Korea to internalize the externality cost of nuclear power and to make more balanced taxation system considering LNG and coal power. This study adopts choice experiment method to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) for possible new tax on nuclear power. The finding is that the tax on nuclear fuel is more preferable to other tax base with KRW2.19/kWh of WTP, compared to KRW1.46/kWh for nuclear waste. The WTP for using the tax revenue to facilitate economic activity is KRW6.39/kWh compared to KRW6.12/kWh of WTP for funding climate change investment. The finding suggests that the design of nuclear power taxation needs to focus more on the use of tax revenue than on the choice of tax base.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.67-77
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• 2017

Demands for housing has diversified recently due to low birth rate and the growth of aging population. Also, a share of idle houses and obsolete houses over 20 years old is gradually rising. Therefore, there is a need for a sustainable, environment-friendly improvement policy that is in line with a new housing paradigm and avoids full-scale new construction, such as a customized housing renovation plan considering local economic circumstances. Therefore, afforestation system applicable to buildings are assessed positively, but lack objective performance evaluation. Through one-year, long-term monitoring of replicated obsolete buildings that have poor insulation performance, this study calculated monthly average power consumption and analyzed power charges by applying pricing plans before and after the revision of progressive tax in order to examine economic effects expected by applying the afforestation system. In the obsolete buildings, the study showed that monthly average power consumption was reduced by 16.6kWh with 5.2% average reduction rate. Highest reduction was made in July at 11.3%. Aggregate monthly power consumption charges were relatively high in winter before and after the revision of progressive tax. Power charges reduction effect was highest in March when monthly power consumption was reduced to 300kWh level by applying the afforestation system.

• Korean System Dynamics Review
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.149-170
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• 2006

In this paper, an energy-economy-environment dynamic simulation model was developed to using system dynamics methodology. It describes current energy-economy-environment systems and forecasts changes caused by levying of carbon tax. The model is composed of three modules: an energy module, an economic module and an environmental module. Variables are interrelated in each module, and three modules are linked by several linkage variables. Setting up the linkage variables is an important factor for the composition of the model. The simulation result shows a change of the national GDP, usage of energy, and $CO_2$ emissions under levying and reinvestment of carbon tax considering various scenarios for the charging cost.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.217-238
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• 2023

Currently, automobile tax in Korea is imposed by multiplying the vehicle's engine displacement by a certain tax rate. However, the need for revision is being raised as it is pointed out that the current system does not reflect the immediate task of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Accordingly, this study focuses on the positive relationship between engine displacement and CO₂ emissions, and seeks to calculate an appropriate automobile tax rate considering average CO₂ emissions. To this end, first, we estimated the average annual CO₂ emissions (kg/vehicle) for each engine displacement using the average CO₂ emissions for each vehicle displacement as of 2020. Next, multiple scenarios were analyzed considering the standard tax rate at $75 per ton of CO₂ emissions proposed by the IMF (2019). In particular, we compared the case of imposing a uniform carbon tax of $75 and the case of imposing a progressive tax based on CO₂ emissions by displacement. According to the results, it was confirmed that the uniform tax rate proposed by the IMF is difficult to apply to Korea as it is due to the impact of a decrease in tax revenue, and a tax scheme needs to be designed appropriately considering maintenance of tax revenue according to the current automobile tax, greenhouse gas reduction effect, and automobile tax reform trends in developed countries. For example, in the case of the K3 (1,598cc) of Kia Motors, a representative compact car sold in Korea, if we compare the tax burdens for each tax scenario, the tax burden will be about 220,000 KRW under the current system, about 79,000 KRW under the uniform tax rate, about 83,000 KRW under the progressive tax rate, and about 240,000 KRW under the progressive tax rate similar to the UK tax system, respectively. In this way, this study identified the current statuses of automobile registration and tax in Korea, and automobile tax reform trends in major developed countries, and analyzed the impact of automobile tax reform considering engine displacement and CO₂ emissions, focusing on the tax burden of the people.

• Journal of the Korean Operations Research and Management Science Society
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2011

This article examines the impact of electronic commerce on environmental welfare. In particular, we analyze a game model of price competition between offline and online firms when consumption taxes are imposed on both offline and online transactions that produce environmental pollution. We investigate the properties of optimal taxation between offline and online markets and demonstrate that there is an optimal difference between the two taxes, depending upon not only the transaction cost between offline and online consumption, but also the environmental damage cost. We also investigate the effect of tax-free online transactions on tax revenues, and the financial feasibility of the optimal taxation.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.459-483
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• 2010

This paper constructs the two-part tax-a combined form of output tax and entrance fee-for polluting oligopolists under endogenous entry. In the presence of external damage that varies exogenously with aggregate output, we show that the two-part tax produces the ex post Pigouvian rule and thus achieves the first-best optimum. We also examine a detailed analysis of the impact of the two-part tax on social welfare and government revenues. Finally, when estimation errors exist in the process of regulation, we identify the incentive conflicts between interest groups and analyze the effects of estimation errors on determining optimal tax. In particular, we show that if the regulator takes care of both welfare loss and revenue gain under the proposed two-part tax, not only over-estimation on the slope of external damage but also under-estimation on the slope of market demand should be taken into the policy consideration.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.60 no.2
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• pp.86-94
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• 2023

Tonnage taxation has contributed to developing the Korean maritime industry through tax relief for shipping companies. The current tonnage taxation relies on the net tonnage as an earning-capacity indicator in a merchant ship. Although the tonnage tax accords with horizontal equity, it does not match vertical equity because of the different taxable capacities of an individual company. Nowadays, maritime transport uses a dedicated vessel, and each shipping freight embeds a different value of time. It means the tonnage taxation regime should consider the added value of each shipping freight. Meanwhile, as the environmental regulations led by the International Maritime Organization are being strengthened, the Korean merchant fleet must be eco-friendly soon after. This study explores the alternative to renewing tonnage taxation by utilizing the Greenship certification and considering the ability-to-pay principle. Because the Greenship certification scheme encourages shipping decarbonization, maritime transport by a certified ocean-going vessel comes to be treated as an activity for the green economy. Special taxation for the green economy may contribute to shipping sustainability and market competitiveness.