South Korea has started a new program to give out spending vouchers to its people. This move aims to spark more spending and help the country’s economy. Each person will get 100,000 won, which is about 73 US dollars. The program began on September 22, 2025.
People can sign up for these vouchers until October 31. To make sure things run smoothly, the government has set specific days for registration. Your birth year’s last number decides your day. If it ends in 1 or 6, you sign up on Monday. For 2 or 7, it’s Tuesday. Wednesday is for 3 or 8, and Thursday is for 4 or 9. If your birth year ends in 5 or 0, you register on Friday.
This new plan will reach roughly 90% of the population. It’s different from the first time the government gave out money. Back then, everyone received aid. Now, some higher-income households will not qualify. This includes families with property taxes over 1.2 billion won or those who made more than 20 million won last year.
Most foreign nationals cannot join the program. However, some groups are still eligible. This includes people with permanent residency cards in South Korea. Foreign spouses and certified refugees who are part of the state health insurance system can also sign up. These rules help make sure the aid reaches those who need it most.
If you are eligible, you can check your status through credit card companies, banks, or local community centers. You can choose to get your vouchers in several ways. Options include credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards, or local gift certificates. It is important to remember that these vouchers cannot be used at large department stores or major supermarkets.
Yonhap News Agency reports that the first aid program helped nearly 50.08 million people. That was 99% of the country, totaling over 9.06 trillion won, or about 6.7 billion US dollars. This new round of vouchers keeps the same goal. The government hopes to boost spending and bring life back to the economy, which has been a bit slow lately.