Gas Station Gas Prices Rise in 12 Weeks...What do you do with the oil tax?

[Anchor]
Gas prices at gas stations have risen in three months.

Amid the lack of tax revenue, the government is also struggling to determine the oil tax rate to be applied from next month.

This is due to concerns over price stimulus and the possibility of a sudden change in the situation in the Middle East.

Lee Seung-eun reports.

[Reporter]
Ordinary people who visited the gas station on the weekend.

Gas prices have been on the decline in recent months, but I don't really feel it.

This is due to the high table prices and the sluggish domestic economy.

[Consumer: In the case of agricultural product prices, does it make sense that it's 10,000 won and 20,000 won for a cabbage?]

[Consumer: It's hard to live day by day because business is so bad and everything is so bad.]

In the meantime, domestic gas prices have risen again.

The average gasoline price at gas stations nationwide in the third week of this month (13-17th) increased by more than 6 won per liter compared to a week ago to 1,591 won.

Diesel also rose nearly 5 won (4.9 won) to 1,421 won.

It went up together in 12 weeks.

This is because the rising tensions in the Middle East and the impact of U.S. hurricanes have been reflected with a lag, and there is a possibility that it will rise further.

Fortunately, after about two weeks, international oil prices that will affect Korea have fallen.

Dubai oil is $75 a barrel, down about $3 from a week ago.

This is due to reports that Israel will not attack Iranian oil facilities and the prospect of a decline in international oil demand.

However, the government is worried that it has to decide on the oil tax rate that will be applied from next month because it does not know when the situation in the Middle East will change rapidly.

As a result of the recent re-estimation of tax revenues, transportation, energy, and environmental taxes, which are oil taxes, are expected to decrease by KRW 4.1 trillion from the original budget (15.3 trillion won).

This is close to 14% of the total expected loss of 29.6 trillion won.

Consumer inflation fell below target to 1.6% last month, widening the possibility of ending three years of oil tax cuts or reducing the rate.

[Choi Sang-mok / Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategy and Finance: Most countries have returned and restored all of them, and in Korea, we are now restoring and normalizing that part step by step, taking into account the burden of certain fuel costs and easing such burdens.]

Currently, the oil tax has been reduced by 20% (164 won) for gasoline and 30% (174 won) for diesel from the original tax rate, and if it is returned to the original level, it will rise to 1,700 won for gasoline.

I'm YTN's Lee Seung Eun.

Reporter for shooting
: Lee Dong-gyu
Design: Lee Ga-eun