'High Oil Price Relief Payment' Application Rate at 76%... 1.4013 Trillion Won Distributed, 568,000 Won Per Person

76% Apply in First Week of Initial Distribution... 2,466,596 Applicants
Credit and Debit Cards Top Payment Methods at 43.6%
By Region: Jeonnam 80.9%, Busan 80.1%, and More

It was tallied that over 76% of eligible applicants applied for the first round of the 'High Oil Price Relief Payment' during its first week of distribution.

According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on May 4, as of midnight on May 3, the number of applicants for the high oil price relief payment stood at 2,466,596. Given that the first round of distribution began on April 27, this means that 76.4% of the 3,227,785 eligible recipients have completed their applications.

A view of the Hwaggok 4-dong Community Service Center in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, where high oil price relief payments are being distributed. Photo by Yonhap News

A total of 1.4013 trillion won in high oil price relief payments has been distributed to these recipients. The average amount per person is 568,000 won.

By payment method, credit and debit cards were the most popular, selected by 1,076,418 applicants (43.6%). This was followed by prepaid cards at 814,481 (33.0%), regional gift certificates (mobile or card type) at 508,490 (20.6%), and paper-type certificates at 67,207 (2.7%).

By region, the application rate exceeded 80% in Jeonnam (80.9%), Busan (80.1%), and Gwangju (80.1%). The lowest application rates were recorded in Chungbuk (70.4%), Gangwon (71.3%), and Gyeongnam (73.1%).

The first round of the high oil price relief payment targets vulnerable groups such as recipients of basic livelihood security, the near-poor, and single-parent families. The application period runs until May 8.

Previously, on April 30, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety convened the 'High Oil Price Relief Payment Government Task Force' and decided to add gas stations with annual sales exceeding 3 billion won as approved places to use the high oil price relief payments. This was in response to criticism that the 'high oil price relief payment', which was intended to support the livelihoods of ordinary citizens, was restricted in its use, making it unavailable at many gas stations nationwide due to limitations on approved merchants.

Through these improvements, recipients can now use the high oil price relief payment at gas stations regardless of their annual sales. If the relief payment was received via credit, debit, or prepaid card, it can be used at any gas station within the recipient's local government jurisdiction, regardless of the gas station's annual revenue. However, if a gas station and a nearby large retail store share the same business registration number and use the same payment terminal, that gas station may not be included as an approved merchant.

For those who received the relief payment in the form of regional gift certificates, the funds can be used at both existing affiliate gas stations and at gas stations that have been temporarily registered as affiliates for the high oil price relief payment, regardless of annual sales. The status of affiliate registration may vary by local government, so it is necessary to check the list of participating merchants in advance via the regional gift certificate app or the local government website.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.