Zero Coupon Bonds

When a maturity payment is made on a zero coupon bond does it qualify as a capital gain for the person holding it instead of ordinary income?

I know from reading that a originial issue discount provision prevents a company from recording a capital gain on a zero coupon bond for lower tax rates and forces them to record the appreciation of the bond as it moves closer to bond as ordinary income.

Nope, the increase in value of a zero-coupon bond over its life is considered interest income, thus if it is held to maturity it has no capital gain or loss.

Moreover, at least in the US, that interest income is considered to be earned (and therefore taxable) every six months, as if it were a coupon payment, even though it isn’t actually paid until maturity.