Damyang County Begins Second Round of Applications for High Oil Price Relief Fund

Eligible Recipients: Households in the Bottom 70% Income Bracket

Damyang County will provide a "High Oil Price Relief Fund" of 200,000 won per person to households in the bottom 70% income bracket and other eligible recipients, aiming to ease the financial burden on residents suffering from the prolonged period of high oil prices. This second round of relief payments will be provided immediately on the day after application, and can be used at small businesses within the county to help revitalize the local economy.

On May 14, Damyang County announced that it will implement the second round of "High Oil Price Relief Fund" payments from May 18 to July 3, targeting small business owners and residents experiencing economic hardship due to the ongoing high oil prices.

Panoramic View of Damyang County Office, Jeonnam.

The recipients of this second round of relief include households in the bottom 70% income bracket, as well as recipients of basic livelihood security, the near-poor, and single-parent families who were unable to receive payments during the first application period. Household composition is determined based on the residents registered under the same household as of March 30, 2026, according to the resident registration record.

Eligibility is determined based on the health insurance premium paid in March 2026. Specifically, for single-income employee subscribers, the monthly insurance premium must be 130,000 won or less for a single-person household and 140,000 won or less for a two-person household. For local insurance subscribers, the premium must be 80,000 won or less for a single-person household, and 120,000 won or less for a two-person household.

However, high-asset households that are difficult to determine eligibility for based solely on health insurance premiums are excluded based on separate criteria. If the combined standard tax base for property tax in 2025 exceeds 1.2 billion won, or if the combined financial income for the 2024 fiscal year exceeds 20 million won, the entire household is excluded from eligibility.

This High Oil Price Relief Fund will be provided in varying amounts, reflecting the local circumstances in accordance with government policy. Residents in the Seoul metropolitan area will receive 100,000 won, those in non-metropolitan areas will receive 150,000 won, but residents of Damyang County, which is designated as a preferential support region among areas with declining populations, will receive 200,000 won per person.

Recipients can choose to receive the payment via credit or debit card, Damyang Sarang Gift Certificate card, or prepaid card, with payments scheduled for immediate disbursement starting the day after application.

The funds must be used by August 31, 2026, and any unused balance after this date will be automatically forfeited. The relief fund can be used for payment at small businesses within the county with annual sales of 3 billion won or less, as well as at Damyang Sarang Gift Certificate affiliated stores. In particular, gas stations and Hanaro Mart branches in each township can be used regardless of sales volume.

A Damyang County official stated, "We hope this relief fund will provide practical help to stabilize the livelihoods of residents suffering from high oil prices," and added, "We encourage all eligible recipients to apply within the designated period to ensure everyone receives these benefits."

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