Last year, the number of '0-year-old golden spoon' babies who received gifts valued at nearly 100 million won immediately after birth reached 734.
According to data on gift tax determinations received from the National Tax Service by Park Seong-hoon, a member of the People Power Party and the Strategy and Finance Committee, the number of gifts made to 0-year-olds in 2024 was a total of 734, with a total gift amount of 67.1 billion won, averaging 91.41 million won per person. This marks an increase of 98 cases and 5.6 billion won compared to 636 cases and 61.5 billion won in 2023.
The value of gifts to 0-year-olds was only 9.1 billion won in 2020, but it surged to 80.6 billion won in 2021 and 82.5 billion won in 2022 due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising asset prices, before slightly decreasing to 61.5 billion won in 2023, and then returning to an upward trend last year.
By asset type, financial assets accounted for the largest share with 554 cases and 39 billion won, followed by securities (156 cases, 18.6 billion won), land (20 cases, 2.6 billion won), and buildings (12 cases, 2.6 billion won).
The total number of gifts for minors (ages 0-18) was 14,217 cases, amounting to 1.2382 trillion won, with an average gift amount of 87.09 million won per person. Notably, the majority of gift amounts were concentrated in the 16-18 age group, with 16-year-olds receiving the most at 147.19 million won, followed by 17-year-olds at 110.63 million won and 18-year-olds at 110.11 million won. Additionally, 12-year-olds (94.46 million won) and 13-year-olds (94.18 million won), the ages of elementary school graduation and middle school entry, also had relatively high amounts.
Park Seong-hoon noted, "There is a need for thorough inspections and tax investigations to determine if there are cases where tax obligations are not being properly fulfilled in gifts made to young children," adding that "tax authorities must take strict action against tax evasion and circumvention of gift tax."