"Coupang NO, Starbucks Only in Seoul"…Where Can Disaster Relief Funds Be Used?

Disaster Relief Funds Usable from the 13th
Real-Time Text Alerts for Disaster Relief Fund Payments
Not Usable at Department Stores and Large Marts
Card Company Benefits Remain Applicable

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] From the 13th, the emergency disaster relief fund applied for by card can be used. According to the government’s policy to disburse within 48 hours after application, card points are sequentially credited starting with the head of household who applied on the 11th. Frequently asked questions related to the use of the disaster relief fund have been summarized.

◆Real-time text message upon disaster relief fund payment= When the disaster relief fund is credited, a text message notifying that it is available for use is sent. Disaster relief fund points can be used in the same way as the basic card. Card companies send usage details via text message when the disaster relief fund is used. For example, “Government emergency disaster relief fund usage amount 10,000 KRW, remaining balance 390,000 KRW.” Usage details can also be checked through card company applications (apps).

◆Usage deadline is August 31= The emergency disaster relief fund must be used by August 31 at credit card merchants located within the head of household’s residence city, metropolitan city, or province. Any unused balance after this date will be forfeited and returned to the national treasury, so refunds are not possible.

◆No use on Coupang, Starbucks only in Seoul, delivery apps only for on-site payment= The emergency disaster relief fund can be used at all credit card merchants except for certain industries. However, it cannot be used at department stores (Shinsegae, Lotte, Hyundai, NC Department Store, AK Plaza, etc.), large marts (Emart, Emart Traders, Emart Everyday, Homeplus, Homeplus Express, Lotte Mart, Lotte Super, etc.), large electronics retailers (Samsung Digital Plaza, Hi-Mart, Electron Land, LG Best Shop), or online shopping malls such as Coupang. For delivery apps like Baedal Minjok and Yogiyo, the disaster relief fund can be used only if payment is made on-site.

While franchise stores accept the disaster relief fund, directly operated stores can only be used in the metropolitan area where the headquarters is located. Major convenience stores such as GS25, CU, Seven Eleven, and Emart24 are mostly franchises, so the fund can be used at almost all their stores. Starbucks, which operates under a direct management system, only accepts the fund in Seoul, where its headquarters is located. However, Starbucks card recharging is not possible even in Seoul because Starbucks cards, which are prepaid and deducted as needed, are classified as gift certificates.

Additionally, usage is restricted at entertainment and luxury industry merchants, gift certificate sales stores, and duty-free shops. Automatic payment transactions such as the four major insurances (life insurance, non-life insurance, health insurance, national pension), public transportation, and mobile telecommunications are also excluded from the emergency disaster relief fund usage.

Card company websites or apps provide information on eligible merchants. KB Kookmin Card offers a “Disaster Relief Fund Usage Merchant Map” service based on customer location via its mobile app. Samsung Card also allows searching for eligible merchants by region on its website.

◆Card points can be earned and previous month’s spending counts= When using the emergency disaster relief fund by card, all benefits of the card used, such as point accumulation, previous month’s spending application, and billing discounts, are equally applicable. For example, if you use a card with a 50% Starbucks discount to pay with the disaster relief fund, you can enjoy a 4,600 KRW caf? latte for 2,300 KRW.

Changing the card company after applying for the emergency disaster relief fund is not possible, but the fund can be used with all cards issued by the applied card company. For example, if you have one credit card and one check card from Shinhan Card, you can use both cards for disaster relief fund payments. If the head of household has multiple cards from the card company they applied with, they can use the cards alternately.

◆If the disaster relief fund is insufficient, only the difference is paid by the user= If you try to pay with the disaster relief fund but the amount is insufficient, only the difference will be deducted from your account. For example, if you received 400,000 KRW in disaster relief funds but pay 450,000 KRW, you only need to pay 50,000 KRW yourself.

In addition to the emergency disaster relief fund, other support funds such as the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Childcare Coupon and Gyeonggi Province’s Basic Disaster Income can be used on a single card. In principle, the fund with the earliest expiration date is used first. However, since each support fund has different usage conditions, the deduction order may change when using the card, so it is necessary to check with the card company where you applied.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.