Starting on the 18th, 70% of Korea's citizens will receive "high oil price relief payments."
Residents of the Seoul metropolitan area will receive 100,000 won; those outside the metropolitan area, 150,000 won; residents of priority-supported areas among population-declining regions, 200,000 won; and residents of special support areas, 250,000 won.
The total number of recipients is about 36 million people. Households with high-value assets are excluded, and recipients are selected based on health insurance premiums, which are calculated from income.
◇ Excluded if owning dwellings with a market value of 2.7 billion won or more
According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on the 11th, if the total assessed value base for property tax of household members in 2025 exceeds 1.2 billion won, or if the total financial income attributable to 2024 exceeds 20 million won, they are excluded from the second round of high oil price relief payments.
A 1.2 billion won tax base corresponds to a publicly announced price of about 2.7 billion won for a single dwelling owner. Financial income of 20 million won applies if, assuming an annual interest rate of 2%, deposits are 1 billion won or more, or, assuming a 2% yield on dividends, if investment funds exceed 1 billion won.
If the above criteria are met, the bottom 70% income threshold is set based on the health insurance premiums paid. If the combined amount of the health insurance premiums (excluding long-term care insurance premiums) of the applicant and household members is at or below the benchmark for single-income and multi-income households, they qualify.
For single-person households, the threshold is 130,000 won for employee subscribers and 80,000 won for regional subscribers. If paid premiums exceed these amounts, payment is not made. For two-person households, the threshold is 140,000 won for employee subscribers. For three-person households, premiums must not exceed 260,000 won (employee) or 190,000 won (regional). For four-person households, the thresholds are 320,000 won (employee) and 220,000 won (regional).
For dual-income households with higher combined income, to avoid disadvantage in income calculation, the benchmark amount adds one person to the single-income household standard. For a two-person dual-income household, if the combined premiums do not exceed 260,000 won (employee) or 190,000 won (regional), which correspond to a three-person single-income household, they qualify.
The health insurance premium amount paid in March this year is used as the standard.
◇ Ganghwa, Ongjin, Gapyeong, and Yeoncheon: 200,000 won; North Gyeongsang BYC Co.: 250,000 won
Except for recipients in the first round—basic livelihood security recipients, the near-poor, and single-parent families—the payment amount varies by residence.
Residents of the Seoul metropolitan area, including Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon, will receive 100,000 won per household member. For a four-person family, that amounts to 400,000 won per household. Residents outside Gyeonggi in non-metropolitan regions will receive 150,000 won per person, or 600,000 won for a four-person household.
In 49 local governments designated as priority-supported areas among population-declining regions, 200,000 won per person will be paid. Incheon's Ganghwa and Ongjin, and Gyeonggi's Gapyeong and Yeoncheon fall into this category. In addition, among metropolitan cities, Busan's Dong-gu, Seo-gu, and Yeongdo-gu, and Daegu's Gunwi, Nam-gu, and Seo-gu qualify.
In special support areas (40) with relatively more severe population decline, 250,000 won per person will be paid. For a four-person household, that amounts to 1 million won.
Gangwon's Yanggu and Hwacheon; North Chungcheong's Goesan, Danyang, Boeun, and Yeongdong; South Chungcheong's Buyeo, Seocheon, and Cheongyang; North Jeolla's Gochang, Muju, Buan, Sunchang, Imsil, Jangsu, and Jinan; South Jeolla's Gangjin, Goheung, Gokseong, Gurye, Boseong, Sinan, Wando, Jangseong, Jangheung, Hampyeong, and Haenam; North Gyeongsang's Bonghwa, Sangju, Yeongdeok, Yeongyang, Uiseong, Cheongdo, and Cheongsong; and South Gyeongsang's Goseong, Namhae, Uiryeong, Hadong, Hamyang, and Hapcheon are included.
◇ Card-linked applications are convenient… Paper gift certificates and prepaid cards are also available
Applications for the second round of high oil price payments will be accepted through July 3. The application and payment methods are similar to last year's "consumption coupons."
Citizens who prefer payment to credit or debit cards can apply through the website, app, or call center of their card issuer. Applications are also possible by visiting bank branches linked to the cards.
Mobile, card-type, and paper local gift certificates, as well as prepaid cards, can also be used to receive payments.
To avoid congestion during the first week of applications both online and offline, a weekday rotation will apply based on the last digit of the birth year.
On the 18th, only those whose birth year ends in 1 or 6 may apply; on the 19th, 2 or 7; on the 20th, 3 or 8; on the 21st, 4 or 9; and on the 22nd, 5 or 0.
Recipients eligible in the first round who did not apply during the first application period may apply during the second application period.
High oil price payments can be used only within the jurisdiction of the local government of one's registered address, in line with the aim of supporting local small businesses.
◇ If family relations changed after the reference date
If there are changes in household composition—such as marriage, divorce, birth, or death—between the reference date and the deadline for objections on July 17, they can be reflected through an objection.
If a marriage occurred within the period, it can be applied as a single household. In the case of divorce, it can be separated into a separate household regardless of address. For births, those born within the period are included as recipients. The deceased are excluded.
Objections can be filed starting on the 18th by visiting the community service center with jurisdiction over the registered address or online via the e-People portal. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) said objections received will be processed sequentially after review by local governments and the National Health Insurance Service.