"Am I Really in the Top 30%?" and "Worried About My Girlfriend in the Bottom 70%"... Buzz Over High Oil Price Relief Fund

Complaints Emerge Over High Oil Price Relief Fund Eligibility Criteria

High Oil Price Relief Fund Distribution Site. Photo by Yonhap News

Unexpected controversy continues to surround the high oil price relief fund, which is distributed to the bottom 70% income group. The act of receiving the relief fund is being perceived as more than just a policy benefit—it is increasingly seen as an indicator of one's or one's household's economic standing. As a result, various reactions are emerging, including people expressing self-deprecation about their situations or casting doubt on others' financial circumstances.

"My girlfriend received the high oil price relief fund. I'm worried about her parents' retirement"…Office workers lament in unusual ways

Recently, a variety of incidents related to eligibility for the relief fund have been unfolding online. User A, who identified himself as a civil servant, wrote, "I know that my girlfriend's parents both work—in a major corporation as a production worker and as a civil servant—but she said they received the relief fund. I wonder if it was a lie," adding, "I'm concerned about her parents' retirement preparedness as a marriage partner."

This round of 'high oil price relief fund' payments is assessed not on an individual basis, but by household (based on resident registration and national health insurance qualification records). Therefore, if someone is registered as part of the same household as their parents or is registered as a dependent under their parents, their parents' income may disqualify them from receiving the fund.

If the combined household health insurance premium exceeds the threshold for the bottom 70% income group, or if the parents' assets surpass the high-asset benchmark (a property tax-assessed value over 1.2 billion won or financial income exceeding 20 million won), the entire household is excluded from eligibility. In other words, when a fund applicant living with their parents reveals whether they are eligible, they may inadvertently be disclosing part of their parents' financial situation as well.

"Am I in the top 30%?"…Office workers frustrated by the relief fund criteria

Among those excluded from eligibility, many are expressing disbelief that they fall within the top 30% income bracket. In particular, there are growing criticisms that the selection method based on health insurance premiums does not reflect their real standard of living.

One online user, who identified himself as a bank employee, complained, "I don't own a house or car and I live in a studio apartment, yet countless apartment owners in Seoul are receiving the relief fund. How does that make sense?"

High Oil Price Relief Payment Site.

A teacher also shared, "My mother is unemployed and we live in a home worth around 200 million won, and my annual salary is in the mid-50 million won range. It's puzzling that I'm considered part of the top 30%." Another civil servant expressed frustration, saying, "Because the reference date for calculation was in March, my performance bonus was included, and I barely exceeded the health insurance premium standard and was disqualified."

Some people feel a sense of bitterness after learning that they are eligible to receive the relief fund. One office worker said, "If you get the high oil price relief fund, does that make you a dirt spoon? I applied and got it," expressing a self-mocking tone. There were also several accounts of people realizing their household income level for the first time after this process, having previously been unaware of their parents' financial situation.

Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on May 20, as of midnight the previous day, 10,186,000 people (application rate: 31.2%) among the second-round recipients of the high oil price relief fund had applied. The cumulative number of applicants for the first and second rounds totaled 13,191,343 (application rate: 36.7%), and a total of 3.0739 trillion won in relief funds has been distributed. Online applications through credit card companies and other channels are available 24 hours a day, while offline applications at local community centers are open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (until 4 p.m. at bank branches).

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