On the 17th, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that from the 18th until January 19th of next year, applications for heating cost support will be accepted at administrative welfare centers nationwide for vulnerable households using kerosene or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for heating.
The eligible households are those receiving basic living subsidies or belonging to the lower-income bracket who use kerosene or LPG boilers for heating. Households that received fuel cost support through the 2023 kerosene voucher, coal briquette coupons, or emergency welfare support funds, or whose all household members receive benefits from care facilities or are confined in correctional or treatment detention facilities, are excluded from eligibility.
Households approved for support will receive up to 592,000 KRW per household in the form of a card. For households that received the 2023 winter energy voucher, the support amount will be the difference between 592,000 KRW and the winter energy voucher amount already provided. This is part of the "Winter Heating Cost Support and Energy Saving Measures" announced at the Emergency Economic Ministers' Meeting on the 2nd of last month.
Basic living subsidy households that received kerosene or LPG heating cost support last winter can continue to use their existing card (Hana Card), while newly supported basic living subsidy or lower-income households this winter can receive a personalized prepaid card issued at the administrative welfare center.
The kerosene and LPG cards can be used like credit cards at gas stations and other locations to purchase heating kerosene or LPG from January 10 to June 30, 2024, and payment including delivery fees is possible for delivery orders.
If energy costs are included in monthly rent or maintenance fees, or if the card is not accepted at gas stations, and the beneficiary is unable to use the card through no fault of their own, exceptions will be made to reimburse kerosene or LPG purchase costs upon submission of giro receipts, cash receipts, etc. after the card usage period expires.
For inquiries related to applications, contact the local administrative welfare center or the Korea Energy Agency’s kerosene and LPG support project call center.
On the 20th, at a gas station in Seoul where kerosene, known as a "common people's fuel," continues to rise in price and is being sold more expensively than gasoline in some areas, a citizen is purchasing kerosene. This gas station sold gasoline at 1,609 KRW per liter and kerosene at 1,650 KRW per liter. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@
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