[속보] Office of the President “Double the amount of energy voucher support for the underprivileged… Double the discount on gas rates”

On the 26th, Senior Secretary to the President for Economic Affairs, Choi Sang-mok, announced that he would increase the amount of energy voucher support and gas rate discount for the vulnerable in connection with the rapid rise in heating costs.

At a briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the same day, Chief Choi announced such a plan, saying, “There is an unavoidable aspect of realizing energy prices in difficult external conditions, but the government will exert its best policy efforts to minimize the burden on the public.”

Chief Choi announced that the government decided to temporarily double the amount of energy voucher support this winter from 152,000 won to 304,000 won for 1,176,000 households of the vulnerable, including households receiving basic livelihood security.

In addition, it was announced that KOGAS would double the discount on gas rates this winter from 9,000 won to 36,000 won to 18,000 won to 72,000 won for 1.6 million households subject to social consideration.

Regarding the cause of the recent surge in heating costs, Chief Choi said, “Even though there have been factors for the increase in the past few years, the factors for the rate increase have been suppressed, and since the second half of 2021, international natural gas prices have soared up to 10 times compared to the first quarter of 2021.” The gas rate hike was unavoidable, so some of the factors for the 2022 increase were reflected.”