Early Use Encouraged to Serve as a Catalyst for Livelihood Economic Recovery
Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam will begin the first round of distribution for the "Livelihood Recovery Consumption Coupon" starting July 21.
In advance, from July 16, the city also launched a dedicated call center to respond quickly to related civil inquiries.
The coupon program has been established to revitalize local consumption and boost sales for small business owners and self-employed individuals, thereby restoring the livelihood economy. Distribution will take place in two rounds. The city plans to do its utmost to ensure that all citizens receive and can use the coupons promptly.
◆ Eligibility and Scale
The recipients of this "Livelihood Recovery Consumption Coupon" are all citizens of Korea. In principle, it will be provided to Korean nationals residing in Korea as of June 18, 2025, the day before the government announced its consumption coupon distribution plan.
In Changwon, the first round of distribution will take place from July 21 to September 12. The amounts are as follows: 180,000 won for general citizens, 330,000 won for those in the lower-income bracket and single-parent families, and 430,000 won for basic livelihood security recipients. As a non-metropolitan area, an additional 30,000 won per person has been added.
The second round is scheduled to take place from September 22 to October 31. After an income screening process using health insurance premiums, an additional 100,000 won per person will be provided to 90% of the population. Detailed information about the second round will be announced as soon as preparations are complete.
◆ Coupon Application and Distribution
The Livelihood Recovery Consumption Coupon can be applied for at the resident registration address as of the reference date (June 18). Adults born on or before December 31, 2006, can apply and receive the coupon individually. Minor children (those born on or after January 1, 2007) can be applied for under the name of the head of household on the resident registration.
Eligible citizens can apply for the coupon online or offline from 9:00 a.m. on July 21 to 6:00 p.m. on September 12. They can choose to receive the coupon via credit/debit card, prepaid card, or mobile Changwon Sarang Gift Certificate.
Online applications are available 24 hours a day during the application period. The Changwon Sarang Gift Certificate can be applied for via the app, while credit/debit cards can be applied for through the card company's website, app, call center, or automated response system (ARS). Offline applications can be made during the same period on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (until 4:00 p.m. at bank branches) by visiting the local Eup, Myeon, or Dong Administrative Welfare Center or a bank branch at the applicant's address.
To prevent congestion and system overload at application counters during the first week (July 21-25), both online and offline applications will follow a day-of-the-week system based on the last digit of the applicant's birth year. Those born in years ending in 1 or 6 can apply on Monday, 2 or 7 on Tuesday, 3 or 8 on Wednesday, 4 or 9 on Thursday, and 5 or 0 on Friday. After the first week, applications can be made without any day-of-the-week restrictions.
A process for objections will also be provided for citizens who disagree with the eligibility results. Objections can be submitted online through the National Sinmungo or offline at the administrative welfare center at the applicant's address. As with coupon applications, the day-of-the-week system will be applied during the first week.
◆ Places of Use and Precautions
As the Livelihood Recovery Consumption Coupon aims to restore the local livelihood economy, usage is limited to the local government jurisdiction of the recipient's address. In other words, if the coupon is issued in Changwon, it can only be used within Changwon.
Additionally, mobile gift certificates can be used at affiliated merchants, while credit/debit and prepaid cards can only be used at small business establishments with annual sales of less than 3 billion won. Usage is restricted at large supermarkets, corporate supermarkets, department stores, duty-free shops, online shopping malls, delivery apps, entertainment and gambling businesses, and cash-convertible businesses. The coupon is valid until November 30, and any unused balance after the deadline will automatically expire.
The city especially warned that "any text message about the consumption coupon containing a direct internet address (URL link) is 100% a scam." The government, local authorities, and card companies never include links (URLs) in any text messages, and citizens are urged to avoid accessing unofficial channels.
The city also advised that, as offline application counters such as Eup, Myeon, and Dong Administrative Welfare Centers are expected to be very crowded at the beginning of the application period, citizens should actively use the relatively convenient online application method.
Changwon Special City Acting Mayor Jang Geumyong said, "I hope that this consumption coupon will serve as a priming pump to revive the local livelihood economy and that citizens will use it as soon as possible."
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