Inflation has already risen a lot these days, but gas prices go up once more following a month. In the second half of this year, gas as well as electricity rates are expected to rise.
Reporter Hoon-Kyung Jang will tell you.
At a gomtang restaurant in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, the gas bill costs 4 million won per month because you have to brew the soup all day.
However, from next month, the fee will increase and you will have to pay an additional 350,000 won.
[정상채/곰탕 전문점 대표 : 만만치 않게 모든 물가가 오르고 있는데 이런 공공요금까지…. (거리두기) 완화되고 기대를 하고 그랬는데….]
It’s only been a month since the gas rate went up on the last day.
The range of increase is set at 8.4% to 9.4% depending on the use, but following some unit price adjustments, the monthly average will rise by 2,450 won per household.
Also, if the rate is raised by July and October, the average household will have to pay an additional 4,600 won per month.
In the meantime, despite the international gas price increase, the rate has been pushed down because of inflation, but the rate was raised when the deficit and receivables accumulated by the KOGAS reached 1.8 trillion won as of the end of last year due to the rate that was less than the import price.
The possibility of an electricity rate hike came from the takeover committee.
KEPCO’s deficit was due to an incorrect pricing policy, emphasizing the principle of being paid at cost.
[박주헌/인수위 경제2분과 전문위원 : 하반기에 국제 에너지 시장 상황을 살펴서 지금까지 관행이 아닌 원가주의에 입각해 잘 결정되리라고 생각합니다.]
KEPCO is already expected to record a loss of more than 5 trillion won in the first quarter of this year.
As the deficit continues to accumulate and the Bank of Korea forecasts that raw material prices may continue to rise even if the Ukraine crisis eases, the pressure to raise rates is expected to increase.
(Video coverage: Jeon Gyeong-bae, Video editing: Park Chun-bae)
