Electricity rate rise by 4,000 won for a household of 4
City bus fare from KRW 1,300 to KRW 1,700
Gangneung raises water supply and sewage system, Jeongseon raises pay-as-you-go bags
Since the first day of the new year, public utility bills have risen one after another. Electricity rates per household rose by more than 4,000 won per month, and Gangwon-do and cities and counties announced plans to increase rates for buses, pay-as-you-go bags, and water and sewage. Since most of the price hikes are items closely related to real life, the price burden felt by the common people is expected to increase further.
■The highest electricity rate ever =The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) announced that they would increase electricity rates by 13.1 won per kWh (kilowatt hour) from the first quarter of this year. The rate of increase is 9.5%, the largest ever. Electricity rates consist of basic rates, energy rates (standard fuel rates), climate environment rates, and fuel cost adjustment rates. Of these, electricity rates and climate environment rates rose by 11.4 won and 1.7 won, respectively. As a result, the electricity bill charged for a four-person household jumped more than 4,000 won from this month to 57,000 won from 52,000 won per month.
■Intra-city bus fare from KRW 1,400 to KRW 1,700 =From midnight on the 1st, city bus fares in the province also increased. The regular bus fare increased from 1,400 won to 1,700 won, and the seat bus fare increased from 2,000 won to 2,400 won. This is the first increase in four years since October 2018. The increase rate is 21.43% for regular buses and 20% for seat buses. The province explained that the increase in transportation costs due to inflation, such as the minimum wage hike, and a sharp drop in bus users and sales due to Corona 19 were the factors contributing to the increase. However, in the case of Jeongseon, which operates a fully public bus system, the existing fare (general 1,000 won) will be maintained.
The price of water bills and pay-as-you-go bags has risen =Water and sewage rates and pay-as-you-go bags have not escaped the rate hike. Gangneung City will increase water and sewage rates by an average of 10% starting from this month’s notice. The monthly payment for households using 15 tons of water per month jumps by 1,610 won from 17,540 won to 19,150 won. Jeongseon-gun raised the price of volume-rate garbage bags from the 1st. In the case of the most sold 20-liter bag, the price rose by 50% from 280 won to 420 won. As such, items closely related to daily life, such as electricity, gas, public transportation, and utility bills, are rising one after another, and the price situation felt by the people is expected to deteriorate further.