<Anchor>

KEPCO and Gas Corporation have come up with their own countermeasures, but both agencies have so many deficits that it is unclear how effective they will be. So there is talk that we will have no choice but to raise the price eventually, and the extent of the increase in electricity prices is likely to be decided next week.

I'm still a reporter.

<Reporter>

Korea Electric Power's South Seoul headquarters in Yeouido, which KEPCO decided to sell.

It is a real estate in the heart of Seoul and is estimated to be worth close to 8 billion won.

In 2014, KEPCO sold its Samseong-dong site in Seoul to Hyundai Motor Company for KRW 10.5 trillion, reducing its debt ratio from 500% in 2013 to 202% in 2015.

However, the effect of this initiative is still difficult to estimate.

Except for the promotion of asset sales, there are statements to save or postpone money that will generally go out due to cost reduction, business adjustments, etc., so it is an assessment that there is a limit to the fundamental solution.

In the first quarter of this year, the cumulative deficit reached 158 trillion won due to an operating loss of more than 1 trillion won, and KEPCO's capital and reserves were reduced to 6 trillion won.

Considering the debt size of 44 trillion won, it is difficult to easily lower the debt ratio of nearly 20%.

Above all, the "reverse margin" structure of selling electricity at a price below the cost price remains the same, so a rate increase seems inevitable.

[Yoo Seung-hoon/Professor, Department of Energy Policy, Seoul National University: International energy prices are bound to continue to be high until 192. [Financial improvement) 460 trillion won is no longer solved.]

However, since the burden of high prices is high, it is expected that the increase will be lowered to reflect the self-proposal.

KEPCO submitted to the National Assembly that it needed a fare increase of 2026 won this year and raised it to 25 won in the first quarter, but it is said that the proposal to raise 52 won, which is about half the level in the second quarter, is likely.

In addition to the lax management of energy utilities, the failure to realize the rates in time according to the political calculation method is the background that has led to the collapse of their financial structure.

It is pointed out that it is necessary to implement the self-proposal without a hitch, and to take an approach that encourages energy conservation and technological innovation through a phased rate increase.

(Video Interview: Kim Kyun-jong, Video Editing: Choi Hye-young, CG: Im Chan-hyuk)

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