Members of Germany's Bundestag visited Korea's National Tax Service for the first time to discuss digital tax administration and the use of artificial intelligence, the tax agency said Wednesday.
NTS Commissioner Lim Kwang-hyun met Tuesday with a seven-member delegation led by Christian Goerke, acting chair of the Bundestag's Finance Committee, at the Seoul Regional Tax Office.
Lim presented Korea's strategy for using big data and advancing AI transformation in tax administration, outlining the development of the country's digital tax system and its Home Tax online platform.
He also introduced the agency's plans to incorporate AI into tax administration, including the development of AI-powered assistants for tax officials.
The German delegation showed strong interest in Korea's digital tax administration and asked about the country's tax system and Home Tax services, according to the NTS. The lawmakers also offered to help facilitate exchanges between the Korean and German tax authorities.
The visit was arranged after the German Embassy approached the NTS. It marked the first visit to the agency by lawmakers from Germany or any other outside country.
The meeting also resumed high-level tax administration exchanges between the two countries, which had largely been suspended since a meeting of their tax agency chiefs in Berlin in 2008.
Lim asked the Bundestag to support a stable and business-friendly environment for Korean companies operating in Germany. The German lawmakers pledged their support.
"This meeting provided an opportunity for Korea and Germany to share policy experiences in tax administration, including digitalization and AI, and laid the groundwork for broader bilateral cooperation," Lim said.
jwc@heraldcorp.com