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  • P-ISSN 2586-2995
  • E-ISSN 2586-4130
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KDI Journal of Economic Policy. Vol. 37, No. 3, August 2015, pp. 1-30

https://doi.org/10.23895/kdijep.2015.37.3.1

× KDI Open Access is a program of fully open access journals to facilitate the widest possible dissemination of high-quality research. All research articles published in KDI JEP are immediately, permanently and freely available online for everyone to read, download and share in terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Optimal Income Tax Rates for the Korean Economy

YONG SUNG CHANG; SUN-BIN KIM; BO HYUN CHANG

Author & Article History

Manuscript received 06 June 2015; revision received 12 June 2015; accepted 12 August 2015.

Abstract

Based on a quantitative, heterogeneous agent general equilibrium model, we compute the optimal tax rates for labor and capital incomes for the Korean economy. According to our model, a more progressive income tax schedule along with a higher capital tax rate can increase average welfare by as much as 0.86% of permanent consumption. Approximately 64% of house-holds, those with low assets and low productivity, are better off when a more progressive optimal tax schedule is adopted. Despite the potentially significant welfare gains, our calculation should be interpreted with caution because our benchmark model does not take into account possible capital outflows or the increased administrative costs associated with high taxes.

Keywords

Inequality, Korean Economy, Optimal Income Taxes, Progressivity Capital Tax

JEL Code

E25, E62, H21

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