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“Broader Support to Revitalize Citizens’ Daily Lives” … Second Round of ‘High Fuel Price Relief Fund’ Payments to Begin on May 18

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Busan Metropolitan City, under Acting Mayor Kim Kyung-duk, announced that it will officially implement the second round of “High Fuel Price Relief Fund” payments from May 18 to July 3 in order to ease the economic burden on citizens caused by high fuel and consumer prices and to revitalize the local economy.

The second-round support fund will be provided to 70 percent of citizens whose resident registration was recorded in Busan Metropolitan City as of March 30, 2026, and whose household-combined health insurance premium payments for March 2026 fall below the standard thresholds by household size and income type.

Residents of Dong-gu, Seo-gu, and Yeongdo-gu, designated as depopulation areas with preferential support, will receive KRW 200,000 per person, while residents of the remaining 13 districts and counties will receive KRW 150,000 per person. The funds may be used until August 31, and any unused balance will automatically expire.

During the first-round payment period for basic livelihood security recipients, near-poverty households, and single-parent families, 260,831 out of 281,236 eligible recipients applied, recording an application rate of 92.7 percent.

Busan Metropolitan City ranked second among metropolitan cities after Seoul (92.9 percent) and fourth nationwide after Jeollanam-do (93.6 percent), Seoul, and Jeju (92.9 percent).

Beginning May 16, eligible recipients may verify their qualification through the National Secretary website or mobile applications such as Naver, KakaoTalk, and Toss. Citizens who pre-register for the “High Fuel Price Relief Fund Notification Service” will receive individual guidance two days before the application period begins.

In principle, adults born on or before December 31, 2007 must apply individually, while minors may be included under an integrated household application submitted by the head of household.

Minor household heads with no adult members listed on the resident registration record may apply directly.

In addition, basic livelihood security recipients, near-poverty households, and single-parent families who were unable to apply during the first-round application and payment period may also receive support by applying during this second-round period.

Applications may be submitted both online and offline. To reduce congestion during the initial application period, a rotating system based on the last digit of applicants’ birth years will be applied during the first week from May 18 to May 22. Offline applications will not be available on weekends and public holidays.

If adjustments to eligibility or payment amounts are required due to changes such as relocation, income fluctuations, marriage, divorce, or family relationship modifications, objections may be submitted from May 18 to July 17 through the National Petition Portal online or local administrative welfare centers offline.

The payment methods will remain the same as in the first round, allowing applicants to choose among credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards, or local currency gift certificates such as Dongbaekjeon.

Credit and debit cards may be used at small business establishments in Busan with annual sales of KRW 3 billion or less, while local currency gift certificates may be used at affiliated merchants with annual sales of KRW 3 billion or less.

Credit and debit cards and local currency gift certificates will be charged the day after application, and applicants will receive a text message notification once the funds are loaded. Prepaid cards will be issued immediately on-site.

However, usage will be restricted at entertainment, gambling-related, and cash-convertible businesses. In cases where payment is unavailable through kiosks or table-ordering systems within stores, applicants must use the merchant’s own card terminal.

To prevent exposure to text message payment fraud such as smishing scams exploiting the support funds, citizens are advised to immediately delete messages containing internet links and consult the Korea Internet & Security Agency 118 Counseling Center for suspicious notifications from unknown sources.

To minimize inconvenience for citizens, Busan Metropolitan City has been operating a dedicated call center since April 24. The city is also promoting a “visiting application service” through local administrative welfare centers for citizens with limited mobility, including senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

Dedicated Call Centers:
Busan Metropolitan City: 1544-0510
Central Government: 1670-2626

Acting Mayor of Busan Metropolitan City Kim Kyung-duk stated, “We hope this second round of relief funds will serve as a signal for restoring livelihoods for citizens exhausted by high fuel and consumer prices, while also becoming a catalyst for local small business owners to take another leap forward.”

He added, “In particular, through services such as the ‘visiting application service’ for senior citizens and persons with disabilities who have difficulty traveling, we will lower administrative barriers and carefully ensure that not a single citizen is left behind.”