<Anchor>
Today (19th), the government holds the first emergency economy ministers meeting and discusses countermeasures as oil prices soar to the highest price and the price problem is serious.
A plan to expand the fuel tax cut to a maximum of 37% is expected to be announced.
The first news, reporter Jeong Hye-jin reports.
<Reporter>
The first emergency economy ministers meeting of the year will be held this afternoon at the government complex in Seoul, chaired by Choo Kyung-ho, Deputy Prime Minister of Economy.
At today's emergency meeting, the government is planning to review recent price trends and livestock prices, and discuss countermeasures against oil price trends.
In particular, attention is paid to whether the fuel tax will be lowered.
As the price of oil changed the highest price every day, gasoline followed by diesel also exceeded the national average of 2,100 won per liter.
[Park Jung-wook / Gangdong-gu, Seoul: I don't know how long it will go up, but I think it would be cheaper to refuel quickly if possible.
In March, it cost about 150,000 won (fueling cost), but I think it will cost between 200,000 and 250,000 won now.] The
government is likely to expand the fuel tax cut from the current 30% to the maximum of 37%. It is known to be under review.
Among the fuel taxes, the transportation tax currently has a flexible tax rate that is slightly higher than the statutory tax rate. If this flexible tax rate is lowered, the actual reduction can be increased from the current 30% to 37%.
If this happens, the price of gasoline will drop by 57 won and diesel by 38 won per liter.
However, even if the government announces an increase in the range of oil tax cuts at today's emergency meeting, there are many forecasts that there will be limitations in catching oil prices unless additional measures are taken as the cut is not large.