2026 Chuseok Relief Payment Guide: How Much Can You Get in Your Area?

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How Much Chuseok Support Will Residents in Your Area Receive?

Even with the same 2026 Chuseok approaching, some people may receive 500,000 won per person, others 350,000 won, while residents of other regions may receive support in the 200,000–300,000 won range. The key point is this: the Chuseok livelihood support payment is not a program distributed uniformly across the country by the central government. It is a regional policy determined independently by each local government, based on its own budget and eligibility criteria.

In other words, if you are wondering, “Is this a payment that everyone in the country receives?” the first things to check are whether your registered address falls within a local government that has budgeted for the payment and whether you were living in that area on the eligibility reference date.

The major cases announced so far clearly show differences between regions.

Region	Support per person	Main payment method
Uiryeong County, Gyeongsangnam-do	500,000 won	Uiryeong Love Gift Certificates
Tongyeong City, Gyeongsangnam-do	350,000 won	Mobile gift certificate or prepaid card
Yeongdong County, Chungcheongbuk-do	300,000 won	Local Love Gift Certificates
Wanju County, Jeollabuk-do	300,000 won	Prepaid card

The largest amount is being offered by Uiryeong County in Gyeongsangnam-do. Residents who were registered in the county on the reference date, among others, will receive 500,000 won per person in local currency. For a family of four, that amounts to a total of 2 million won. Tongyeong City, meanwhile, has established a policy to provide 350,000 won to every citizen, while Yeongdong and Wanju counties are pursuing support of around 300,000 won per person.

The reason the amounts vary is that each local government differs in population size, financial circumstances, the availability of funds, and policy priorities. Therefore, just because you hear that another region is offering support does not mean residents in your area automatically qualify as well.

One point requiring particular attention is the date of moving into the area. Tongyeong City, Uiryeong County, and Yeongdong County have each set their own eligibility reference dates—April 15, June 30, and July 1, respectively. If you have moved recently, you may need to check your resident registration status on the reference date, rather than simply relying on your current address.

In addition, most of these payments are provided not in cash but through local love gift certificates or prepaid cards. The system is designed to direct holiday spending toward local businesses by restricting use to registered merchants within the region. It is just as important to avoid missing the application period, collection location, and usage deadline as it is to receive the payment itself.

The most accurate way to check whether your area is offering a Chuseok livelihood support payment is through your city, county, or district office website; notices from your local administrative welfare center; or the region’s official social media channels. This Chuseok, the difference in support may be determined much closer to home than you expect.

Chuseok Cost-of-Living Support Map by Region: From 500,000 Won to 300,000 Won per Person

This year’s Chuseok cost-of-living support payments vary significantly depending on where you live. For a family of four, Uiryeong County in Gyeongnam offers up to 2 million won, while Tongyeong City provides 1.4 million won—amounts substantial enough to help ease the burden of holiday shopping and everyday expenses.

However, not every region applies the same conditions. Be sure to check the residency requirement as of the cutoff date, the application period, and the payment method.

Region	Support per Person	Family of Four	Main Eligibility Criteria	Payment Method
Uiryeong County, Gyeongnam	500,000 won	2 million won	Residents registered in the county as of June 30, 2026	Uiryeong Love Gift Certificates
Tongyeong City, Gyeongnam	350,000 won	1.4 million won	Residents registered at an address in the city as of April 15, 2026	Mobile gift certificates or prepaid cards
Yeongdong County, Chungbuk	300,000 won	1.2 million won	Residents who continuously lived in the county as of July 1, 2026	Local Love Gift Certificates
Wanju County, Jeonbuk	300,000 won	1.2 million won	All county residents; detailed criteria must be checked separately	Prepaid or prepaid-style cards usable within the county

Uiryeong County: The Highest Amount at 500,000 Won per Person

The largest payment is being offered by Uiryeong County in Gyeongnam. The county will provide 500,000 won per resident as a cost-of-living stabilization payment in Uiryeong Love Gift Certificates. A four-person household can receive a total of 2 million won, making this the largest support package among the Chuseok cost-of-living payment programs.

• Eligible recipients: Residents registered in Uiryeong County as of June 30, 2026
• Included groups: Marriage immigrants, permanent residents, and others
• Application period: August 10–September 11
• Application location: The community service center in the applicant’s registered district
• Usage deadline: December 31, 2026

During the first week of applications, a weekday system based on the final digit of the applicant’s birth year will be in effect. A visiting application service will also be available for residents with limited mobility. Another advantage is that applicants can receive the gift certificates immediately on-site.

Tongyeong City: 350,000 Won for Every Resident, or 1.4 Million Won for a Family of Four

Tongyeong City in Gyeongnam plans to provide a 350,000-won cost-of-living recovery payment to every resident. The amount was finalized at a higher level than the 330,000 won initially under discussion, drawing attention as one of Tongyeong’s signature livelihood-support policies.

• Eligible recipients: Residents registered at an address in Tongyeong City as of April 15, 2026
• Included groups: Foreign permanent residents and marriage immigrants
• Payment amount: 350,000 won per person
• Payment method: Choice of Tongyeong Love Gift Certificates in mobile form or a prepaid card
• Payment schedule: Payments are scheduled to begin before Chuseok

For a family of four, the total comes to 1.4 million won. Recipients can choose between a mobile gift certificate and a prepaid card based on their preferred spending habits.

Yeongdong County: A Second Round of Support at 300,000 Won per Person

Yeongdong County in Chungbuk will provide 300,000 won per resident as its second cost-of-living stabilization payment. Having already provided support once before, the county is drawing attention by proceeding with this program as a “second round” of assistance.

• Eligible recipients: Residents who had a registered address in the county and continued to live there as of July 1, 2026
• Application period: August 17–October 2
• Payment amount: 300,000 won per person
• Payment method: Local Love Gift Certificates
• Usage deadline: Until the end of the year

A family of four can receive a total of 1.2 million won. Since applications remain open until early October, it is important not to miss the deadline even if you are busy during the Chuseok holiday period.

Wanju County: 300,000 Won per Person via Prepaid Cards

Wanju County in Jeonbuk will also provide 300,000 won per person to all county residents. Wanju has chosen prepaid or prepaid-style cards that can be used within the local area, encouraging spending at local businesses.

• Payment amount: 300,000 won per person
• Estimated number of eligible recipients: Approximately 105,000 people
• Application begins: From the 8th of next month
• Application locations: Eup- and myeon-level administrative welfare centers and civil service centers
• Usage deadline: December 31, 2026

Although the program does not provide a large lump sum as immediately as Uiryeong County’s program, a four-person household can still receive 1.2 million won—potentially offering meaningful help with Chuseok shopping, dining out, and everyday living expenses.

Key points to check: Don’t compare only the payment amounts. Be sure to check the eligibility cutoff date, application deadline, and usage deadline together. Those who moved into the area after the cutoff date may be excluded from eligibility.

Why Will Chuseok Livelihood Support Funds Be Paid in Local Currency Instead of Cash?

You may wonder, “Wouldn’t it be more convenient if the support payment were deposited directly into our bank accounts?” However, most of the 2026 Chuseok livelihood support funds will be provided not in cash, but in the form of local love gift certificates, mobile gift certificates, and prepaid cards.

There is a clear purpose behind this approach. Rather than allowing the support funds released ahead of the holiday to flow into major online shopping malls or be spent outside the region, the system is designed to direct that money toward neighborhood markets, restaurants, hair salons, and small business establishments.

A System Designed to Keep Money Cirating Locally

Cash can be used anywhere. It can be spent at nationwide online shopping malls, used in other regions, or even saved. Local currency and prepaid cards, on the other hand, can generally be used only at registered merchants within the relevant city, county, or district.

For example, Uiryeong County’s Uiryeong Love Gift Certificate, Tongyeong City’s Tongyeong Love Gift Certificate, and Wanju County’s prepaid cards are all designed for spending within the local area. When residents use their support funds to shop at traditional markets or dine with their families at local restaurants, that revenue becomes income for local business owners once again.

This approach eases the burden of holiday spending for residents while generating immediate sales for local businesses.

Why Chuseok Spending Is Being Directed Toward Local Businesses

Chuseok is a time when spending on groceries, gifts, dining out, and preparations for ancestral rites rises sharply. Local governments restrict where the support funds can be used so that this spending does not flow outside the region.

The support funds may have a particularly noticeable impact in the following sectors:

• Holiday grocery shopping at traditional markets and neighborhood supermarkets
• Local restaurants, cafés, and bakeries
• Everyday services such as hair salons, laundries, and auto repair shops
• Small local businesses and neighborhood commercial districts

In Uiryeong County, for example, each person receives 500,000 won in local gift certificates. This means a four-person household can spend up to 2 million won within the local area. The 350,000 won provided by Tongyeong City, as well as the 300,000 won provided by Yeongdong County and Wanju County, could also have a significant impact on local sales around Chuseok.

Setting the Expiration Date at the End of the Year Is Also Part of the Strategy

Many local governments have set the usage deadline for Chuseok livelihood support funds as December 31, 2026. Rather than having residents spend the money all at once on Chuseok shopping, this measure is intended to encourage local consumption to continue throughout the second half of the year.

However, once you receive the support funds, it is best to check where they can be used and when they expire. Payments may be restricted at large supermarkets, online shopping malls, and certain directly operated stores, and any remaining balance may disappear after the deadline passes.

Ultimately, the core of the local currency system is not simply to provide cash assistance. It is closer to a “local consumption circulation” policy that connects holiday support funds to residents’ everyday living expenses and allows that money to drive the local economy once again.

Three Dates That Determine Whether You Can Receive the Chuseok Cost-of-Living Support Payment

The Chuseok cost-of-living support payment is not a program you automatically qualify for simply by applying during the application period. The first thing you need to check is the eligibility 기준일, or eligibility reference date. Local governments determine recipients based on whether they were registered as residents in the relevant area on a specific date.

In other words, if you recently moved and filed a move-in report, you may still be excluded from the support program even if you apply within the application period.

Tongyeong City: 기준일 of April 15

Tongyeong City’s cost-of-living recovery support payment is available to citizens whose registered address was in Tongyeong City as of April 15, 2026. Among foreign nationals, permanent residents and marriage immigrants may also be included.

• Support amount: KRW 350,000 per person
• Key point to check: Whether you were registered as a resident of Tongyeong City on April 15
• Payment method: Expected to be provided through the mobile Tongyeong Sarang Gift Certificate or a prepaid card

If you moved to Tongyeong after April 15, you are highly likely to be excluded from this round of support.

Uiryeong County: 기준일 of June 30

Uiryeong County has allocated a relatively substantial Chuseok cost-of-living support payment of KRW 500,000 per person. However, recipients are limited to county residents whose registered address was in Uiryeong County as of June 30, 2026.

• Support amount: KRW 500,000 per person
• Key point to check: Whether you were registered as a resident of Uiryeong County on June 30
• Application period: August 10–September 11
• Payment method: Uiryeong Sarang Gift Certificates

If you moved to Uiryeong County in July, you may have difficulty receiving this year’s support payment even if you are currently living there. Be sure to check the resident-registration reference date before applying.

Yeongdong County: 기준일 of July 1

Yeongdong County’s second round of livelihood stabilization support is available to county residents who had a registered address in Yeongdong County as of July 1 and have continued to reside there. This means you need to check not only whether your address was registered there on the reference date, but also whether you meet the continued-residence requirement.

• Support amount: KRW 300,000 per person
• Key point to check: Resident registration and continued residence as of July 1
• Application period: August 17–October 2
• Payment method: Local Love Gift Certificates

Check the Reference Date Before the Application Date

The process for checking your eligibility is simple:

1. Confirm whether your address is in a local government area offering the support.
2. Check your resident-registration status as of that local government’s eligibility reference date.
3. If you qualify, make note of the application period and usage deadline.

The reference dates differ by location—April 15 in Tongyeong, June 30 in Uiryeong, and July 1 in Yeongdong. Simply living in the area now is therefore not enough. If you are counting on receiving the Chuseok cost-of-living support payment, the safest approach is to first verify where your address was registered on the reference date through a certified copy of your resident registration or an official notice from your local government.

Chuseok Livelihood Support Payments: Fiscal and Equity Challenges Behind the Holiday Bonus

For residents, Chuseok livelihood support payments are certainly welcome news. They offer practical assistance that can be used immediately for holiday grocery shopping, dining out, and purchasing daily necessities. In particular, support of 300,000 to 500,000 won per person can amount to as much as 1.2 million to 2 million won for a four-person household—an amount substantial enough to be genuinely felt.

From the perspective of local governments, however, the story looks different. These payments are large-scale programs requiring budgets ranging from several billion to tens of billions of won. While they can stimulate short-term consumption, they also leave behind challenges involving fiscal management and disparities between regions.

The short-term boost to consumption is clear

The payment systems, centered on local currencies and prepaid cards, are designed to prevent the funds from flowing out of the region. Residents can use the money for groceries, household goods, dining expenses, and other holiday preparations, while local shops, traditional markets, and small business owners can look forward to increased sales.

It is also notable that many local governments have set the expiration date at the end of the year. This means the policy is designed not merely to drive spending right before Chuseok, but to keep money circulating through the local economy during the second half of the year. For residents who have tightened their wallets due to high prices, the payments can provide greater spending power; for local commercial districts, they can offer an opportunity for a short-term recovery in sales.

The key to these payments is not simply providing cash, but keeping consumption circulating within the local community.

The problem is that it may not end with ‘a one-time payment’

Tongyeong City is investing approximately 40.9 billion won, while Uiryeong County is allocating about 12.5 billion won to its livelihood support payment program. These are by no means small amounts for mid-sized local governments. Although the funds can be secured through fiscal stabilization funds or general revenues, repeated payments could make conflicts over budget priorities with other programs difficult to avoid.

For example, youth employment, caregiving, transportation infrastructure, and efforts to address regional depopulation all require sustained fiscal investment. If large holiday payments become an established practice every Chuseok, local governments may face increasingly difficult choices between immediate, tangible benefits and long-term investment.

Therefore, Chuseok livelihood support payments should raise the following questions alongside the question of whether to provide them:

• To what extent did the one-time payments actually lead to increased local consumption?
• Did local small businesses experience changes in sales after the payments were distributed?
• Can the funds be secured without reducing existing welfare and infrastructure budgets?
• Will the same level of support be possible next holiday?

Support payments that vary by location—and the growing debate over equity

This year’s cases alone show significant differences: Uiryeong County is providing 500,000 won per person, Tongyeong City 350,000 won, and Yeongdong and Wanju counties around 300,000 won. Meanwhile, residents in areas with no support program or smaller payments may face the same burden of rising prices without receiving any benefit.

This creates a widening gap in what might be called “address-based welfare.” Even people with the same income level and family structure can receive vastly different holiday support depending on the local government in which they are registered as residents. In other words, differences in the autonomy and fiscal capacity of local governments translate directly into differences in the benefits received by residents.

Of course, because economic conditions and fiscal circumstances vary by region, it would be difficult to demand identical support from every local government. Nevertheless, it is important to remain cautious: if competition over support payments becomes overheated, regions with limited fiscal capacity could experience a growing sense of relative deprivation.

Balancing livelihood support with fiscal responsibility is essential

Amid high prices and an economic slowdown, Chuseok livelihood support payments can serve as a practical policy tool that eases residents’ financial burdens and breathes life into local commercial districts. Yet the success of the policy should be judged not by how much was distributed, but by what changes it left behind in the local economy.

Going forward, the focus should be less on competing over the size of the payments and more on transparently verifying their effects in protecting vulnerable groups and stimulating local consumption. Whether these welcome holiday payments develop into sustainable local economic policies—or remain a one-time competition that widens disparities between regions—will depend on how local governments design their finances and evaluate the results afterward.