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Electricity and gas rates will increase from today (1st).
Additional increases are expected within this year.
It looks like it will put a lot of pressure on prices.
This is reporter Kim Bo-mi.
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Gas rates for houses will rise by 3% from today.
Based on the average household usage, the monthly fee increases by 940 won.
In addition, depending on the type of business used, such as restaurants and lodging businesses, the increase is from 1.2% to 1.3%.
The government said that international gas prices have risen significantly this year, causing the rate to rise.
KOGAS has accumulated 1.8 trillion won in losses and receivables that have not been recovered while selling natural gas at a price lower than the import price for nearly two years since the corona crisis.
[Cho Hong-Jong/Professor of Economics, Dankook University: Accounts receivable are meant to be passed on to future consumers if the rate cannot be increased.
The skyrocketing natural gas price is poised to build up at least two or three trillion receivables…
.]
Following the April hike, an additional increase is expected from May.
At the end of last year, the government and KOGAS had already decided to reduce the deficit by raising rates from May when the new government took office.
By October, the rate will be raised 16% more than the current rate in three installments.
Electricity rates will also increase by 2,400 won per month based on the average of a four-person household from today, and an additional increase is scheduled in October.
As the combined gas and electricity rates rise by 10,000 won on average, the total burden will increase from 77,000 won a month now to 87,000 won from October.
In addition, if the increase in international oil prices is reflected in electricity rates, additional increases are inevitable, which is expected to put a significant burden on inflation.