Prime Minister Kim: "Local Governments Must Swiftly Arrange High Oil Price Subsidy Budgets... Ensure No Confusion"

7th Emergency Economic Headquarters Meeting

Prime Minister Minseok Kim, referring to the high oil price support fund that will be distributed starting at the end of this month, requested on April 20, "The Ministry of the Interior and Safety should check and encourage local governments to swiftly arrange the relevant supplementary budgets." He added, "Please ensure thorough preparation so that there is no confusion in the payment process."

Prime Minister Minseok Kim is speaking at the Emergency Economic Headquarters meeting held at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on April 20, 2026. Photo by Yojongjun.

On the morning of April 20, at the Government Seoul Office, Prime Minister Kim presided over the 7th Emergency Economic Headquarters meeting and stated, "Since some local government heads are running in elections, there are procedures that require local governments to arrange supplementary budgets and local councils to approve them. Therefore, even though the supplementary budget has been decided overall, there are quite a few places where actual execution may be delayed until after July." He made these remarks in this context.

The high oil price support fund will be distributed first to recipients of the basic livelihood security program, people in the second-lowest income bracket, and single-parent families starting April 27, and then, from May 18, it will be selectively distributed to the remaining 70% of the population based on income criteria.

Prime Minister Kim reiterated, "What is important is that this support fund is being prepared and distributed jointly with local governments, so if local governments do not swiftly arrange the relevant supplementary budgets, the process could be delayed," emphasizing, "It is very important to monitor this aspect closely."

He also added, "I have heard many reports that residents of island regions are experiencing inconvenience because the number of coastal passenger ship operations has been reduced due to high oil prices," and requested, "The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and related ministries should quickly prepare plans for the execution of the relevant supplementary budget and support measures for the stable management of shipping companies, so that coastal passenger ships can operate and run stably."

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