The fuel tax was reduced by 30% from yesterday (1st).
The 10%p cut is wider than the previous 20% cut.
As a result, the tax was lowered by 83 won for gasoline, 58 won for diesel, and 21 won for liquefied petroleum gas and LPG butane per liter.
Of course, just because the tax is lowered doesn't mean that gas stations will immediately lower their selling price.
This is because the oil that has already been received after paying high taxes is still there.
It is not yesterday or today that gas station sales prices do not fall as quickly as expected even after the fuel tax cut.
It is for this reason that Deputy Prime Minister Hong Nam-ki said at the emergency economy central countermeasure meeting in December of last year, "I will encourage the price reduction of self-owned gas stations in order to quickly reflect the effect of the fuel tax cut."
Even on the 5th of last month, when an additional cut was announced, the government emphasized that "to reflect the market price of the fuel tax cut as soon as possible, we will cooperate with gas stations and refineries and operate a public-private joint monitoring system."
The reason the price remains the same on the first day of the fuel tax cut
Yesterday, the first day of the additional fuel tax cut, the gasoline tax was lowered by 83 won per liter, but the national average price fell only to about 20 won.
I don't know, but I think it reflects the price reductions of gas stations directly managed by refiners and thrifty gas stations.
The government said that it would even operate a monitoring system, but there was no price cut as quickly as described.
Then, why didn't the price drop despite repeated government efforts?
The government announced the fuel tax cut on the 1st of this month, almost a month before, on the 5th of last month.
Some point out that the tax cuts could be seen immediately by giving self-owned gas stations enough time to prepare.
However, it is questionable whether an immediate cut is possible given sufficient preparation time.
Let's examine each one from now on.
First, even if the tax is lowered from May 1st, the tax on oil received before that time will not be refunded.
Oil supplied to gas stations is supplied from the refinery with taxes paid.
So, to sell the oil you received in the past in line with the reduced tax now means to sell it at a loss to the self-employed.
I'm going to sell it under the hood, but it's not possible.
Second, self-owned gas stations know when the tax will be reduced anyway, so you can say that if you leave the tank empty before then, you will get oil if the tax goes down.
According to reports from industry officials, this is true.
However, they said that they could not tell you the amount of shipment.
However, it is unreasonable to say why the price was not lowered from the first day of the cut as this also does not mean that gas stations do not receive oil after emptying the oil tank without any inventory.
Third, there is some doubt that it will take too long to not lower the price only for the remainder of the oil sale.
In response, the oil industry says it's not just gas stations that are aware of lower taxes.
Consumers also know that the price will definitely drop, so they don't come to refill the oil for two or three days before the tax cut.
As a result, it is argued that it will take longer than usual for the stock to drop.
"1~2 weeks until stock runs out"... I'll have to watch the price later.
Refining industry insiders say it usually takes a week for gas stations with high turnover to run out of stock, and about two weeks for gas stations with slow turnover.
Gas stations won't even fill their storage tanks ahead of tax cuts, so they're more likely to run out of stock sooner.
Even taking into account that fewer people are adding oil just before the tax cut, it's not likely that stocks will run out longer than usual.
Therefore, it will take at least a week for gas stations to properly reflect the tax cut in their prices.
Even though I am a consumer, it is necessary to reconsider from a rational point of view to criticize that the price did not fall as much as the cut from the first day of the cut.
So, of what use is the government to encourage price cuts at self-owned gas stations and to strengthen joint public-private monitoring?
There is literally no way to force it as an incentive.
However, it is possible to induce nearby independent gas stations to participate in the price reduction by supplying reduced-price oil through gas stations directly managed by refineries and thrifty gas stations of Korea National Oil Corporation, Korea Expressway Corporation, and Nonghyup.
If the price of gas stations in the vicinity goes down, self-owned gas stations that have to compete with real-time price comparison will have no choice but to lower their prices.
There are about 11,160 gas stations nationwide, of which 17.8% are directly managed or thrifty gas stations.
Since it is less than 20%, it may be inconvenient for consumers to find each one, and some directly operated gas stations usually have higher prices than others, so the effect of the tax cut may not be felt.
It means that looking for a gas station directly managed or inexpensive may not be the answer.
If the selling price is the power of the gas station, the power of the consumer is an option.
If consumers directly search for cheaper gas stations through Opinet (https://www.opinet.co.kr), won't some gas stations' gut sales decrease?