The second round of Livelihood Recovery Consumption Coupons will begin distribution on September 22. High-asset households will be excluded first, and the coupons will be provided to households in the bottom 90% by income, based on health insurance premiums. For a four-person household, if the annual income is approximately 173 million won or less, they are eligible to receive the second round of consumption coupons.

On September 12, the government held a joint briefing at the Government Seoul Office and announced the plan for the second round of consumption coupon distribution. Unlike the first round, which was given to the entire population, this round will provide an additional 100,000 won to the bottom 90% by income.

Kim Minjae, Vice Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, is holding a briefing on the second distribution of the livelihood recovery consumption coupons at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on September 11. 2025. Photo by Jo Yongjun

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The eligibility criteria are more relaxed compared to the 2021 National Support Fund (which targeted the bottom 80% by income). Han Soonki, Director General for Local Finance and Economy at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, explained, "When the 80% standard was used in 2021, many citizens pointed out that they were excluded from the recipients. To address this, the standard was raised by 10 percentage points to 90%, excluding only a portion of high-income households, so that the rest can benefit from the policy's intent to stimulate consumption and support incomes."

Applications for the second round of consumption coupons will be accepted from 9 a.m. on September 22 to 9 p.m. on October 31. Recipients can choose to receive the coupons via credit/debit cards, local gift certificates, or prepaid cards. As with the first round, a day-of-the-week application system will be implemented during the first week:
- Monday: those whose birth year ends in 1 or 6
- Tuesday: 2 or 7
- Wednesday: 3 or 8
- Thursday: 4 or 9
- Friday: 5 or 0
- Applications are open to all on weekends.

Households considered high-asset will be excluded from eligibility first. If the total property tax base in 2024 exceeds 1.2 billion won, or if the total financial income in 2024 exceeds 20 million won, all members of the household will be excluded. This includes, for example, single-homeowners with real estate worth approximately 2.67 billion won or more (based on official value), households with 1 billion won in deposits at an annual interest rate of 2%, or those with 1 billion won invested at a 2% dividend yield.

The bottom 90% income standard is based on the total health insurance premiums assessed per household in June. In terms of median income, this is 230% or less. For employee-insured households, the combined premium thresholds are:
- 1 person: 220,000 won or less
- 2 people: 330,000 won or less
- 3 people: 420,000 won or less
- 4 people: 510,000 won or less
For a four-person household, this translates to an annual income of about 173 million won. For self-employed insured households, the thresholds are the same for one person (220,000 won), and for others:
- 2 people: 310,000 won
- 3 people: 390,000 won
- 4 people: 500,000 won
For mixed households (with both employee and self-employed insured members):
- 2 people: 30,000 won
- 3 people: 420,000 won
- 4 people: 520,000 won

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In particular, separate criteria have been set so that single-person households or multi-earner households with high combined incomes are not excluded. Single-person households, which include a high proportion of young and elderly people, tend to have lower income and health insurance premiums compared to other households. To prevent underrepresentation, the eligibility standard for single-person households is set at an annual income of 75 million won (for employee-insured).

For multi-earner households, such as dual-income families, the eligibility standard is calculated by adding one more member to the household size. For example, a four-person household with two employee-insured earners will be assessed using the five-person household standard (600,000 won), not the general four-person standard (510,000 won). For self-employed multi-earner households, the criteria apply if there are at least two household members with annual combined business and separately taxed financial income of 3 million won or more in 2024.

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Compared to the first round, the second round will see some expansion in where coupons can be used. From the second round, military personnel can use the consumption coupons in commercial areas near their bases. While the general rule is that coupons must be applied for and used in the area of residence listed on the resident registration, military personnel can now apply at the community center near their base. From the second round, local cooperatives with annual sales exceeding 3 billion won will also be included as eligible usage locations, reflecting the public interest role of local cooperatives and the aim to promote consumption of eco-friendly agricultural products.

The government plans to notify eligible individuals for the second payment in advance through the National Secretary notification service.

Starting at 9 a.m. on the 22nd, individuals can directly check their eligibility.

Online, eligibility can be checked through the application (app), website, call center, or automated response system (ARS) of the card company you use, as well as the National Health Insurance Service website and app.

You can also visit bank branches linked to your card or the local administrative welfare centers in your town or district to inquire in person.

The government plans to notify individuals in advance about their eligibility for the second round through the National Secretary notification service. Starting at 9 a.m. on September 22, individuals can directly check their eligibility. Online, eligibility can be checked through the application (app), website, call center, or automated response system (ARS) of the card company used, as well as through the National Health Insurance Service website and app. It is also possible to visit card-linked bank branches or town and township administrative welfare centers in person to inquire.

The objection period for the second round of consumption coupons runs from September 22 to October 31. If there have been changes in family relationships (such as marriage or birth) or income requiring adjustment of health insurance premiums since the eligibility reference date of June 18, an objection can be filed. The eligible person can visit the community service center in their area of residence or apply online through the e-People portal.

The usage period for both the first and second rounds of consumption coupons is until November 30. Any unused balance after this period will expire.

The unit for eligibility in the second round is the "household," determined by resident registration and health insurance qualification. As of June 18, 2025, individuals listed together on the same resident registration are considered one household. Even if the address is different, a spouse or child who is a health insurance dependent is considered part of the same household. However, if the dependent is a parent with a different address, they are considered a separate household, and dual-income couples are also considered separate households unless it is more advantageous to combine their insurance premiums.

Accordingly, overseas Koreans are eligible if they are listed on the resident registration and have the same health insurance qualification as Korean citizens. Foreigners are eligible if at least one Korean citizen is listed on the resident registration and they have the same health insurance qualification. For example, overseas Koreans who have suspended their Korean health insurance due to studying abroad are not eligible. Permanent residents (F-5), marriage immigrants (F-6), and recognized refugees (F-2-4) are included if they have health insurance or are medical benefit recipients, regardless of resident registration.

Vulnerable groups who were additionally eligible in the first round, such as basic livelihood recipients, near-poverty households, and single-parent families (about 3.14 million people), are also included in the second round. Persons of unknown residence are considered separate single-person households regardless of the resident registration and are eligible if they meet the criteria.

On July 24, residents visiting the Siheung 1-dong Community Service Center in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul, are applying for the Livelihood Recovery Consumption Coupons. July 24, 2025. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

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The first round of consumption coupon distribution closes at 6 p.m. today. As of midnight the previous day, about 50.05 million people, or 98.9% of eligible recipients, had applied for the coupons. This surpasses the application rate (98.7%) during the 2021 COVID-19 National Support Fund. The total amount distributed is 9.0634 trillion won.

There have been 79 reports of fraudulent distribution of consumption coupons as of September 5:
- 17 cases of person-to-person transactions
- 3 cases of false transactions (illegal cashing)
- 58 cases of disguised merchants
Actions are ongoing following these reports.

Kim Minjae, Vice Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, emphasized in the briefing that "after the first phase of consumer coupon distribution, effects such as consumption recovery and increased sales for small business owners are appearing."

The Consumer Sentiment Index recorded 110.8 in July, the highest since 2021, when the consumer coupon distribution began, and rose to 111.4 in August.

Also, the Small Business Owner Business Sentiment Index (BSI), which had been declining for three consecutive months, rebounded in August and reached this year's highest level (88.3) this month.

Vice Minister Kim stated, "We will make every effort across all relevant ministries to ensure that the momentum for domestic economic recovery, which was hard-won through the first round of consumption coupons, continues with the second round."