Naju City Records 99.1% Payment Rate for High Oil Price Relief Fund

93,210 Applications, 17.77 Billion Won Disbursed
Funds Must Be Used by August 31; Unused Balances Will Expire

The high oil price relief fund distributed by Naju City in Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Metropolitan City, aimed at easing the burden on citizens due to high oil prices and inflation, has recorded an application rate exceeding 99%, raising expectations for boosting local consumption.

Naju City announced on July 8 that, as of 6:00 p.m. on July 3, 93,210 people, or 99.1% of eligible recipients, had applied for the first and second rounds of the high oil price relief fund, with a total of 17.77 billion won disbursed.

This relief fund was implemented to help stabilize the lives of citizens struggling with rising oil prices and inflation and to stimulate local consumption.

In the first round of payments, 4.76 billion won was provided to 8,108 recipients, including basic livelihood security beneficiaries, the near-poor, and single-parent families. In the second round, which targeted general citizens, 13.02 billion won was distributed to 85,102 recipients.

The eligible recipients accounted for about 70% of the Korean population as of March 30 of this year. General citizens received 150,000 won each, the near-poor and single-parent families received 500,000 won each, and basic livelihood security recipients received 600,000 won each.

The relief funds were provided through Naju Love Gift Certificates (card or mobile types), credit/debit cards, and prepaid cards. The funds could be used at local small businesses in Naju with annual sales of 3 billion won or less, Naju Love Gift Certificate member stores, 12 regional Nonghyup Hanaro Mart locations, public local food direct stores, and gas stations.

The city is currently conducting the final objection process.

Even if an applicant was excluded from eligibility due to exceeding the national health insurance premium threshold, they may still submit an objection in person at their local administrative welfare center by July 16, or online through the National Civil Service Portal by July 17, if they can objectively prove changes to their eligibility, such as health insurance premium adjustments due to income reduction or a change in the number of household members.

Objections received will be reviewed and any additional payments will be completed by July 31.

The usage period for the relief fund, for both first and second round recipients, is until August 31. Any remaining balance unused by the deadline will automatically expire without a separate refund.

Byungtae Yoon, Mayor of Naju, stated, "The high oil price relief fund is a policy designed to both stabilize citizens' livelihoods and invigorate local small businesses and neighborhood economies. I urge citizens who were excluded from the eligibility list not to miss the objection period and to apply. I also ask everyone who received the relief fund to use it in full by August 31 to help revitalize the local economy."

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