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electricity and gas prices will increase by 16.5% from today (3th). For a household of four, you will have to pay about 4,3 won more for electricity and about 4,8 won for gas. The government has decided to allow vulnerable groups and small business owners to postpone or share the increased rates, and to extend the system to give them a reduction in what they save.

Reporter Jeongyeon reports.

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Starting
today, the price of electricity has increased by 1 won per kilowatt-hour, and the price of city gas has increased by 04.5 won per megajoule.

That's about a 3.4% increase from the previous one.

For a household of four, the average monthly electricity bill is about 3,4 won, and the gas bill is about 4,2 won.

In a situation where an increase is inevitable to address the accumulating deficit of public energy companies, the increase was decided to be in the single digits in consideration of the burden on the people.

[Lee Chang-yang, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy: International energy prices, which have soared due to the Russia-Ukraine war, are stabilizing somewhat, but they are still higher than usual.]

The rate hike is expected to reduce KEPCO's deficit by about 6.3 trillion won this year, but it is still not enough to normalize management because of the "reverse margin" structure that loses money the more electricity it sells.

As a result, there is a possibility of further hikes in the third and fourth quarters of the year, which are expected to take into account both the general election and the high inflation situation.

[Lee Ho-hyun, Minister of Power Innovation Policy, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy: We are not making any predictions at the moment, but we will review it comprehensively and make a judgment.]

In order to ease the burden on vulnerable groups, basic living recipients, the next highest class, etc., will only be subject to the increased unit price for excess usage until March next year.

In addition, small and medium-sized businesses will be able to pay their electricity bills in installments for a limited time, and the energy cashback system will be expanded to allow general households to receive a 4 won refund depending on the amount of electricity saved, plus an additional maximum of 3 won.

(Video Interview: Park Young-il, Video Editing: Shin Se-eun)