The National Tax Service’s renewed website is causing inconvenience to users due to its complicated security measures and lack of compatibility.

In order to use Hometax, on which the NTS spent over 200 billion won ($182 million), users have to install at least eight security programs. Also, the new website is incompatible with the former system and requires conventional users to resubscribe.

Earlier this week, the tax agency launched a renewed tax reference system in which it integrated various services such as cash receipts, e-tax invoices, year-end tax revisions, tax legal information and customer service.

The former tax information system, set up in the 1990s, could no longer respond properly to changes in tax administration, according to NTS officials.

A total of 230 billion won was spent on building the so-called “next-generation tax administration system,” one of the most expensive information technology projects implemented under the current government.

But the new system partly faltered during the first two days, largely because of the excessive number of security programs.

The website initially required users to install up to 15 programs, which it later reduced to eight, including personal certificate verification, computer security, keyboard security and forgery prevention systems.

Another user complaint is that the system can only be used on Windows operating systems.

“We have found that some computer specifications are not fully compatible (with the new website) and will take due actions,” said a tax office official.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)