by Min Chanki
Published 20 Apr.2026 15:24(KST)
On April 20, Gwangju Dong-gu District announced that it will begin the full-scale implementation of the 'High Oil Price Relief Fund' to alleviate the financial burden on residents caused by high oil prices and inflation.
This relief fund will be provided in differentiated amounts, ranging from 150,000 won to 600,000 won per person, depending on income level. To ensure prompt support, the first round of payments will be prioritized for basic livelihood security recipients, the near-poor, and single-parent families. Basic livelihood security recipients will receive 600,000 won, the near-poor and single-parent families will receive 500,000 won, and the bottom 70% income group will receive 150,000 won.
The first round of payments (for basic livelihood security recipients, the near-poor, and single-parent families) will take place from April 27 to May 8. The second round (for the bottom 70% income group and those who did not apply in the first round) will be held from May 18 to July 3. Those eligible who did not apply during the first round may also apply during the second period.
The detailed selection criteria for the bottom 70% income group, such as health insurance premiums, have not yet been finalized; payments will be made once these criteria are determined.
Both online and in-person applications will be accepted. Online applications can be made via credit card company apps and websites, and payments will be made in the form of credit or debit card top-ups. Participating card companies include KB Kookmin Card, Lotte Card, BC Card, Samsung Card, Shinhan Card, Woori Card, Hana Card, NH Nonghyup Card, and Hyundai Card. Internet banks such as KakaoBank, Toss Bank, and K Bank, as well as simple payment services like Naver Pay and Kakao Pay, may also be used. For in-person applications at the local administrative welfare center, the relief fund will be provided as a prepaid card.
To prevent congestion at the start of the application period, an application schedule based on the last digit of applicants' birth years will be enforced during the first week. During the first round, applications will be accepted on Mondays (1, 6), Tuesdays (2, 7), Wednesdays (3, 8), and Thursdays (4, 9, 5, 0), with the restriction lifted from Friday onward. For the second round, the schedule will be Mondays (1, 6), Tuesdays (2, 7), Wednesdays (3, 8), Thursdays (4, 9), and Fridays (5, 0), with the restriction lifted from Saturday.
Additionally, a 'visiting application service' will be available for residents with limited mobility, such as the elderly and people with disabilities.
Dong-gu District has established a dedicated task force led by the deputy district office head, with the Welfare Policy Division overseeing the overall operation to build a rapid support system focused on vulnerable groups. The district aims to strengthen field-based support through on-site applications and the visiting application service in cooperation with local administrative welfare centers. Civil complaint response will also be enhanced through the deployment of temporary staff and the operation of dedicated service counters.
An official from Dong-gu District stated, "We have established a swift support system to reduce the burden on residents struggling with high oil prices and rising living costs," adding, "We will do our utmost to strengthen field-based application support and guidance so that eligible residents can receive assistance without inconvenience."
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