Korea’s High Fuel Price Aid Reaches Over 22 Million Recipients

South Korea Disburses Trillions in Fuel Cost Relief

South Korea’s government has provided significant financial assistance to millions of its citizens to mitigate the impact of high fuel prices. As of May 21, 2026, a total of 22,914,804 individuals, representing 63.8% of the program’s overall target recipients, have applied for support from the High Fuel Price Aid program, with a staggering 4.38 trillion Korean Won (approximately 3.2 billion USD) disbursed.

This aid program, officially known as the High Oil Price Damage Support Fund (고유가 피해지원금), is managed by the Ministry of Interior and Safety. It aims to alleviate the economic burden on households and individuals grappling with increased fuel costs, reflecting the government’s efforts to support its population through periods of economic strain caused by global energy price fluctuations.

The disbursement figures are further detailed across two main phases, referred to as the ‘First Wave’ and ‘Second Wave’ of recipients, which likely represent different eligibility criteria or rollout schedules:

• First Wave: A total of 3.051 million individuals (94.4% of this wave’s target) have applied and received 1.7324 trillion Korean Won.
• Second Wave: 19.863 million individuals (60.7% of this wave’s target) have applied, with 2.6493 trillion Korean Won disbursed.

These statistics underscore the substantial scale of the government’s initiative to provide direct financial relief to a large segment of its population. While the original notice also mentioned an update on regional application and payment statuses, specific regional data was not detailed in the public information released.

It is important to note that this announcement from the Ministry of Interior and Safety serves as a status report on an ongoing support program. It does not contain information regarding new application periods or eligibility criteria for the High Fuel Price Aid. Details on how to apply and specific eligibility requirements would have been communicated at the program’s initial launch.

Source: 행정안전부 보도자료 — Original Article (Korean)