Highway Self-Service Gas Stations: Paid 1.86 Billion KRW More Over 5 Years [2024 National Audit]

Error Occurred Due to Reapproval Denial

At highway self-service gas stations, consumers continue to suffer damages as they are charged more than the actual amount of fuel purchased. Over the past five years, a total of 1,860,140,000 KRW has been overcharged, of which 60,650,000 KRW has yet to be refunded.

According to data received by Ahn Tae-jun, a member of the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee from the Korea Expressway Corporation on the 21st, the total amount of overpayments due to payment errors at self-service gas stations from 2020 to the first half of this year is 1,860,140,000 KRW. There were 31,294 cases of payment errors.

Ahn Tae-jun, member of the Democratic Party of Korea.
[Photo by Ahn Tae-jun, Office of the Democratic Party of Korea]

The annual overpayment amounts are as follows: 420,880,000 KRW (7,034 cases) in 2020, 441,260,000 KRW (7,243 cases) in 2021, 418,430,000 KRW (7,078 cases) in 2022, 406,000,000 KRW (6,767 cases) last year, and 173,570,000 KRW (3,172 cases) for this year (up to June).

Of these, 60,650,000 KRW remains unrefunded to consumers, with 2,042 unresolved payment error cases. The annual unrefunded amounts are 7,780,000 KRW (337 cases) in 2020, 15,050,000 KRW (540 cases) in 2021, 16,540,000 KRW (448 cases) in 2022, 16,060,000 KRW (542 cases) last year, and 5,220,000 KRW (175 cases) for this year up to June.

This payment error occurs when the re-authorization of the card payment is declined. When consumers refuel, the card company first processes the payment. Then, the same amount is charged again using the consumer’s remaining card limit or check card balance, at which point the initial pre-authorization is canceled. However, if the card limit or check card balance is insufficient, the re-authorization does not occur. As a result, the pre-authorization cancellation is not processed and accumulates.

The Expressway Corporation has implemented a system that notifies gas station staff when a re-authorization is declined, so that staff can inform consumers, but errors continue to occur.

Assemblyman Ahn said, "If refunds are processed first after the initial payment and then additional payments are made, errors can be reduced," adding, "A fundamental solution should be established in cooperation with card system companies to prevent overpayments from occurring."