<Anchor> The
government was originally scheduled to announce the third quarter electricity rates today (21st), but yesterday the announcement was suddenly postponed.
He pointed out that before asking KEPCO to raise the rate, it should first be self-reliant.
This is reporter Jang Hoon-kyung.
<Reporter>
Yesterday, the government delayed the decision on electricity rates for the third quarter and strongly criticized KEPCO.
Before asking for a raise, he said that he had to do more on his own.
[Cho Kyung-ho / Deputy Prime Minister of Economy: Why did it happen, why?
Wasn't there a time when KEPCO was profitable?
KEPCO itself needs self-reflection as to why KEPCO has become this way over the past five years.]
Four hours after this remark, KEPCO executives advised KEPCO executives to return last year's performance pay.
KEPCO said that seven executives, including the president, would immediately return their bonuses, and about 360 key executives would offer half of their bonuses, but it doesn't seem easy to come up with more self-help measures.
[Seung-Hoon Yoo/Professor of Energy Policy, Seoul National University of Science and Technology: KEPCO spends 87% of its total cost to purchase electricity.
In the end, without reducing the cost of purchasing electricity...
This problem cannot be solved by scolding KEPCO.]
KEPCO has requested the government to raise electricity rates by 3 won per kilowatt-hour in the third quarter.
The burden increases by 1,000 won per month on average for a four-person household.
As KEPCO's deficit is expected to reach 7.7 trillion won in the first quarter and 30 trillion won for the entire year, a rate hike seems inevitable.
A government official also said that he is considering raising or freezing three won, or either one, and an announcement will be made within this week.
In the end, it is read with the intention of showing efforts to minimize the price burden ahead of the announcement.