South Korean department stores will start offering instant tax refund¹ services to foreign customers starting in February as part of an effort to boost sales, market watchers said Sunday.

市场观察者周日表示，作为提振销售的一部分，韩国的百货商店将自2月份开始为外籍客户提供即时退税服务。

Under the new program, foreigners can buy products without paying the mandatory² 10 percent value-added tax if the item costs 30,000-200,000 won ($25-166), observers said. Each person can be exempt³ from VAT⁴ for up to the first 1 million won in purchases. Products that cost more than 200,000 won require the buyer to pay the VAT.

观察者表示，根据这一新的计划，如果商品花销在30000-200000韩元（折合25-166美元）这一区间，那么外国顾客就可以不用支付购买产品所带来的10%的增值税。每人可享受的最高免征增值税金额为100万韩元。如果产品销售价格超过200000韩元，则将会要求买方支付增值税。

Seoul announced last year that it would implement⁵ changes to the way all local tax-free shops operate in 2016 by making it easier for tourists to spend in the country without the need to hold onto purchase receipts that must be shown at departure to get tax refunds⁶.

首尔政府方面去年宣布，在2016年，将更改所有当地免税商店的运营方式。这样将会使得游客在韩国购物时更加方便，他们不再需要持有那些离开时退税所需的购买收据。

Lotte Department Store, South Korea's No. 1 luxury retailer⁷, said the instant tax refund will be given at its main flagship store in downtown Seoul. Shinsegae Department Store said its main store in Jung-gu will offer the service to customers

韩国的第一大奢侈品零售商乐天百货近日表示，即时退税将在首尔市中心的主要旗舰店实行。新世界百货则会在中区的主要店铺对游客提供这项服务

Department stores said they picked the stores because they are the most frequented by foreign visitors, with more stores to be added later.

百货公司方面表示,之所以他们选择这些商店，是因为它们都是外国游客最常光顾的店铺。后续其他店铺也将会加入进来。

"Foreign shoppers can buy products minus the 10 percent VAT so there is no need to keep tabs on receipts or show the product they purchased at the airport when they leave the country," a Lotte official said. "This can greatly reduce the hassle at airports and should fuel sales at our store."

一名乐天百货的负责人员表示：“外国消费者可以购买产品，减去10%的增值税。这样的话，当他们在机场准备离开韩国的时候，就没有必要检查他们的收据或出示他们所购买的产品了。这样可以大大减少机场相关工作的复杂程度，还能够大幅提升我们商店的销售。”