Starting on the 14th, a preferential fee rate will apply to 3,094,000 small and medium-sized credit card merchants with annual sales of 3 billion won or less. This accounts for 95.7% of the total 3,235,000 locations.
The Financial Services Commission said on the 11th in "Results of selection of small and medium-sized merchants for the second half of 2026 and guidance on refunds of card fees for new merchants in the first half of 2026" that preferential fee rates of 0.4%–1.45% for credit cards and 0.15%–1.15% for debit cards will apply by annual sales bracket.
The same preferential fee rates will also apply to 1,999,000 sub-merchants that accept card payments through payment gateways (PG) and to 166,000 individual and corporate taxi operators that process card payments through transportation settlement operators.
For 159,000 businesses that newly opened in the first half of the year, were charged the standard fee rate, and have now been confirmed as small and medium-sized merchants, the preferential rates will be applied retroactively.
The fee difference—calculated by subtracting the preferential fee from the fee already paid—will be refunded by Sept. 28. The refund amount for 159,000 merchants is about 61.47 billion won (about 387,000 won per merchant). Businesses that opened in the first half of the year and closed in the same period are also eligible for refunds.
Even if there is currently no business site and the notice was not received, eligibility for refunds and refund amounts can be checked starting Sept. 28 on the "integrated inquiry system for merchant sales transaction information" and on each card company's website.
Among sub-merchants that newly opened in the first half of the year and have now been confirmed as small and medium-sized merchants, 132,000 and about 5,675 individual and corporate taxi operators are also eligible for retroactive refunds. The refund measure will be carried out by Sept. 28.