photo = Yonhap News
It is reported that the government is considering expanding subsidies for oil prices for trucks and taxi operators that use diesel fuel amid soaring fuel prices.
According to the Ministry of Strategy and Finance and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on the 15th, the government is considering a plan to announce a plan to ease the burden of transportation companies such as trucks as one of the measures to counter the livelihood economy, as soon as it is announced later this week.
The government is said to be seeking ways to ultimately increase the amount of subsidies by reorganizing the temporary diesel oil price variable subsidy system that runs until July. The plan is to reduce the burden by increasing the scale of support, such as giving more subsidies to transportation companies when buying diesel.
Currently, transportation companies such as trucks, buses, taxis, and coastal freighters are receiving fuel tax-linked subsidies that subsidize some or all of the fuel tax increase following the energy tax reform in 2001.
However, as the government lowered the fuel tax due to a surge in oil prices, subsidies also decreased. If the fuel tax is cut by 20%, the subsidy will be reduced by 106 won per L, and by expanding the cut to 30%, the subsidy will decrease by 159 won per L.
Recently, the price of diesel has skyrocketed due to the shortage of diesel stock in Europe and other countries, and the supply shortage of petroleum products due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to the Korea National Oil Corporation’s oil price information service, Offinet, as of this morning, the average price of diesel at gas stations nationwide is 1,65.46 won per liter.
In addition to the fuel tax cut, the price of oil has increased as the price of diesel has surpassed that of gasoline. Truck operators are of the view that they should pay subsidies linked to fuel taxes at the level before or when the fuel tax is cut by 20%.
Kim Soo-young, reporter at Hankyung.com swimming@hankyung.com
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