<Anchor> The
'digital tax', which targets global IT companies such as Google and Apple, will be introduced from next year. In the future, Korean companies such as Samsung Electronics are also expected to pay taxes to foreign countries that have made profits.
Correspondent Kwak Sang-eun.
<Reporter>
136 countries around the world have finally reached an agreement to introduce a so-called 'digital tax' from 2023.
The applicable target is multinational companies with annual sales of 20 billion euros and Korean money exceeding 27.6 trillion won and operating profit of more than 10% as a percentage of sales.
The key point is that these companies will have to pay higher taxes in the country where their sales are actually made, and that they will be subject to the global minimum tax rate of 15%.
It is a measure to prevent tax evasion through low-tax countries by saying that no matter where in the world you do business, you must pay a tax of 15% or more.
The size of the tax is usually set at 10% of the operating profit margin and 25% of the excess profit.
[Bruno Lemaire/French Minister of Finance and Economy: This tax revolution will make the world's tax system more just.] About
100 companies around the world are expected to be covered. Samsung Electronics is the dominant among Korean companies, and SK Hynix may also be included.
The government believes that even if the 'digital tax' is introduced, the company will not suffer much as it will pay some of the corporate tax paid in Korea to overseas countries.
The agreement will be reported to the G20 Finance Ministers Meeting to be held in Washington DC, USA on the 13th, and will take effect if ratified at the G20 Summit in Rome at the end of this month.
(Video editing: Park Soo-sun)