Siheung City Begins Applications for High Oil Price Relief Grants... Up to 550,000 Won for Vulnerable Groups

Siheung City in Gyeonggi Province will provide "High Oil Price Relief Grants" to mitigate the burden on residents caused by high oil prices and to revitalize the local economy. The city will prioritize support for vulnerable groups based on income criteria and then proceed to distribute the grant sequentially to 70% of the population according to their income level.

View of Siheung City Hall. Provided by Siheung City

The first round of payments will be made from April 27 to May 8. A total of 22,030 basic livelihood security recipients will receive 550,000 won each, and 3,190 people from the next-lowest income group and single-parent families will receive 450,000 won each. The second round will take place from May 18 to July 3, during which 70% of the population, selected based on health insurance premiums and other criteria, will receive 100,000 won per person. The grants must be used by August 31, 2026, at 24:00. Any unused amount by the deadline will expire.

The city will ensure prompt and equitable distribution, and to ease the application process for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and people with disabilities who have difficulty moving, a dedicated "On-Site Application" team will also be operated.

The "On-Site Application" service will run from April 27 to July 3. In particular, the period from April 27 to May 8 has been designated as the main focus period. The service targets those with mobility difficulties, such as the elderly and people with disabilities, and will also include the recipients of last year's "Livelihood Recovery Consumption Coupon" on-site application program, aiming to minimize any blind spots in grant applications.

The dedicated on-site application teams will be deployed at the administrative welfare centers in all 20 neighborhoods, consisting of city officials and support personnel. Support personnel include temporary workers, members of the Community Social Security Council, and honorary social welfare officials. Public officials are responsible for pre-identification and confirmation of recipients, verifying application forms and supporting documents, and deciding on prepaid card issuance. Support personnel will provide application guidance, coordinate visit schedules, handle on-site applications, and distribute prepaid cards.

The city has diversified the payment methods to guarantee convenience for residents. The grant can be received through one of the following: credit/debit card, prepaid card, or local currency (Mobile SiRu). Residents may apply online for credit/debit card and local currency (Mobile SiRu) options, while prepaid cards can be requested at the administrative welfare center corresponding to the applicant’s registered address.

When the grant is received on a credit/debit card or prepaid card, it can be used at small businesses with annual sales of 3 billion won or less. Usage is restricted for adult entertainment and gambling-related businesses. The local currency (Mobile SiRu) can be used only at participating SiRu merchants. The deadline for all usage is August 31, 2026.

To prevent illegal distribution, the city will form a dedicated monitoring team from April 27 to July 3, 2026, to conduct both online and offline monitoring and operate a reporting center. Any merchant found to be engaging in illegal currency exchange will face cancellation of merchant registration and exclusion from the list of eligible businesses.

Additionally, to prevent smishing scams impersonating the grant payment, the city will strengthen its guidance for seniors and vulnerable groups visiting administrative welfare centers. A reporting and response system will be operated through the Siheung City Call Center and in cooperation with related organizations. If a suspicious text message is received, residents should not click on any links and should report it to the Siheung City Call Center, the National Police Agency, or the Korea Internet & Security Agency.

Jung Hogi, Director of Economic Affairs at Siheung City, stated, "Through the 'On-Site Application' service, we will minimize blind spots and ensure the grants are distributed promptly and fairly with thorough administrative support."

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