The first phase of applications and payments for the 'livelihood recovery consumption coupon' will begin on the 21st. Each citizen will receive a basic 150,000 won. Those in the lower-income bracket and single-parent families can receive 300,000 won each. Recipients of the basic livelihood guarantee are eligible for 400,000 won each. Additionally, residents outside the metropolitan areas of Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi Province will receive an extra 30,000 won, while residents in rural areas experiencing population decline will receive an additional 50,000 won.
Individuals aged 19 and older must apply in person. Minors must have their parents, who are the head of the household, apply on their behalf. Elderly individuals in nursing homes can apply through their spouse, children, or siblings. Those serving in the military can apply directly by mail or have their family apply on their behalf.
Consumption coupons will be provided in the form of credit cards, debit cards, and prepaid cards. They can also be received as local love gift certificates. Cash payments will not be made.
Consumption coupons cannot be used at department stores, large supermarkets, corporations' super supermarkets (SMM), or directly managed convenience stores. Payment is not available at kiosks and table order systems; a separate card terminal in the store must be used. In delivery applications, they can be used through the 'meet to pay' method.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety held a briefing on the 'livelihood recovery consumption coupon policy' on the 15th at the Government Sejong Office and explained this. Below is a Q&A with Han Soon-ki, Director of the Local Government Finance Bureau.
The cutoff date for eligibility is June 18. Can newborns born after that date also receive the first consumption coupon?
"Newborns born after June 18 can become eligible once they complete their birth registration and submit an appeal. However, requests must be made during the appeal period from July 21 to September 12. That is, if they complete their birth registration and request an appeal by September 12, they will receive the first payment, but it will not be possible if they request after September 13."
Then what happens in the case of death after June 18?
"In cases of death after June 18, both personal applications and proxy applications are not possible, so, in principle, they will be excluded from eligibility. If they have already received the consumption coupon, the balance will be reclaimed. However, if the head of the household has passed away, the remaining balance of the consumption coupons received on a credit or debit card will be converted to paper-based or card-type local love gift certificates or general prepaid cards for the minor in the household."
If parents are in a nursing home or facility, what should be done?
"In this case, legal representatives, spouses, children, direct descendants, or siblings can submit proof of identity, documentation of their relationship with the eligible individual, and proof of admission to the nursing home or facility to the local government for a proxy application."
What if someone has difficulty applying in person?
"If elderly or disabled residents request assistance due to mobility issues, local governments will directly visit residents to assist with applications. This also applies to those admitted to nursing homes or facilities. Specific operational details can be inquired with the local government."
How can minors apply?
"Minors born after January 1, 2007, must have an adult head of household at the same address apply on their behalf. However, if the minor is registered as the household head or if the head of the household is living abroad and excluded from eligibility, the minor can apply themselves."
What about minors living in protective facilities due to child abuse?
"Facility directors can apply on behalf of the minor, or the minor can apply directly through an appeal. If the consumption coupons for minors living in protective facilities are improperly received by the household head registered, they will be reclaimed."
How can military personnel on mandatory service apply?
"If they want to receive it offline, they must apply directly to their local government. However, military personnel can also apply by mail. The local government where they apply will send the paper-based local love gift certificates, etc., by registered mail to their unit."
Proxy applications have also been made possible. However, the proxy must provide a power of attorney, which can be substituted by a photographed copy instead of the original. A 'military service confirmation' document issued within the unit can also be presented as a photograph.
Unless soldiers are on leave, it is difficult to use them at their registered address.
"Consumption coupons have been added for use at the military supermarket (PX) across the country. However, they cannot be used by the general public. This is only allowed when military personnel receive consumption coupons with the National Love Card."
How are stores where use is allowed or not distinguished?
"Consumption coupons cannot be used at large supermarkets like Emart, Lotte Mart, and Homeplus, which do not align with the purpose of supporting local small businesses. However, they can be used at independent stores operated by small business owners, such as flower shops, beauty salons, and pharmacies located in these malls. They also cannot be used at SSMs like Emart Everyday, Lotte Super, and GS The Fresh.
In the case of franchise convenience stores such as CU, GS25, 7-Eleven, and Emart24, they cannot be used at directly operated stores run by the head office. However, they can be used at 'franchise' convenience stores with annual sales under 3 billion won.
Are food material marts allowed as usage locations?
"It is still under review. The conclusion should be reached by tomorrow or the day after at the latest."
Can they be used at kiosks or table order systems and delivery apps?
"Kiosks and table order systems may restrict the use of consumption coupons due to technical issues. Instead, they are advised to use a separate card terminal available in the store. Delivery apps can only use consumption coupons if payments are made face-to-face with the delivery person using the store's own terminal."
Can they be used in taxis, buses, or subways?
"If the garage indicated on the personal taxi license corresponds to the area where consumption coupons can be used, they can be used. Corporate taxis can also be used if their location falls within the coupon use area and their annual sales are under 3 billion won. Consumption coupons cannot be used with pre-paid or post-paid transportation cards on buses or subways. To avoid confusion, stickers will be placed later to indicate availability of use."
If someone moved from Seoul to Ganghwa County (a rural area experiencing population decline) after June 18, where can they use the coupons?
"If you moved after the cutoff date and completed your relocation registration, you can apply to use the coupons based on Ganghwa County online or offline. If you moved after already receiving the consumption coupons, applications for a change in the area of use are possible with credit or debit cards. However, if they received local love gift certificates or prepaid cards in Seoul, it will not be possible to change the area of use to Ganghwa County. They will have to use it while visiting Seoul."
In this case, will additional support be provided?
"If you moved from the metropolitan area to a rural area experiencing population decline, you can receive an additional 50,000 won. An appeal must be made for this. In that case, you will receive additional local love gift certificates or general prepaid cards that can be used in Ganghwa County.
If moving from a non-metropolitan area, such as Daejeon, to Ganghwa County, which is a population decline area, you will receive an additional 20,000 won.
Conversely, if you move from a non-metropolitan area or a population decline area to the metropolitan area, there will be no recovery.