The 2026 Energy Voucher Program, which helps vulnerable groups use energy without worrying about the cost of heating and cooling energy bills, will begin on July 1. 

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE, Minister Kim Sungwhan) announced that new applications and registrations* for this year’s Energy Voucher Program will be accepted from June 15 to December 31 at administrative welfare centers in eup, myeon, and dong districts nationwide, as well as through the Bokjiro website (bokjiro.go.kr). 

* If recipients of the Energy Voucher Program from the previous year have no changes in eligibility this year, they will be automatically registered as Energy Voucher recipients. Recipients of the 2025 Energy Voucher Program can check whether their eligibility status has changed through the administrative welfare center in their registered eup, myeon, or dong, or by contacting the Energy Voucher Integrated Counseling Center (☎1600-3190)

The Energy Voucher Program is available to households that qualify for livelihood, medical, housing, or education benefits under the National Basic Living Security Act, and in which the applicant or a household member meets certain specified criteria*. Eligible households may receive automatic deductions on their electricity, city gas, or district heating bills, or directly purchase the energy sources they need, such as kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), using a voucher card (the National Happiness Card).

* Households in which the applicant or any household member falls into at least one of the following categories: older adults (65 years of age or older); infants and young children (preschool children aged 7 or younger); persons with disabilities; pregnant women; individuals with severe, rare, or incurable diseases; single-parent families; child-headed households (including children in foster care); or families with multiple children (households that include a father or mother and at least two children under the age of 19).

This year, the program plans to strengthen tailored support by taking recipients’ housing conditions into consideration. In particular, it will introduce an “advance exceptional payment" system, which provides cash assistance for energy costs during the program period to recipients whose energy expenses are included in rent or other housing fees, making it difficult for them to pay directly using the Energy Voucher. 

In addition, the government will newly implement the “Coal Briquette Transition Energy Voucher” for energy-vulnerable groups* currently using coal briquette coupons. Through the Korea Energy Foundation, existing coal briquette boilers will be replaced with non-coal boilers, and recipients will receive financial assistance to cover the cost of purchasing energy resulting from the transition to alternative heating fuels. 

* Recipients of Basic Livelihood Security benefits (livelihood, medical, housing, and education assistance); near-poor households (those with an income at or below 50% of the median income); older adults (65 years of age or older); persons with disabilities; single-parent families; and child-headed households (including children in foster care).

The government also plans to expand its “visiting welfare service,”* under which staff directly visit households experiencing difficulties using the Energy Voucher after applying for it, to cover up to 122,000 households. In addition, through cooperation between the Korea Energy Agency (the implementing agency) and local governments, it will monitor Energy Voucher usage among vulnerable groups to proactively identify households facing energy crises. By establishing a more comprehensive energy welfare support system, the government aims to eliminate gaps in assistance.

* A service in which postal workers, social workers, and other personnel visit households in person to conduct needs assessments, provide information about the program, and offer one-on-one tailored assistance with using the benefits, taking into account each household's living conditions and residential environment.

Meanwhile, detailed inquiries regarding eligibility for this year's Energy Voucher Program, as well as application and usage procedures, can be made through the relevant administrative welfare center or the Energy Voucher Integrated Counseling Center (☎ 1600-3190). Related information is also available on the Energy Voucher website (energyv.or.kr).

In addition, those who wish to replace their coal briquette boilers and receive support through the Coal Briquette Transition Energy Voucher Program can obtain guidance from the Korea Energy Foundation's Integrated Center for Coal Briquette Transition Intent Surveys (☎ 1877-5488).

Lee Gyeong-su, Director General for Climate and Energy Policy Bureau at the MCEE, stated, "Amid energy crisis situations such as the war in the Middle East, we will actively support vulnerable groups in applying for and using the Energy Voucher in a timely and convenient manner so that they can effectively respond to climate change impacts such as extreme heat."

For further information, please contact the Public Relations Division. 

Contact person: Gina Lee, foreign media spokesperson

Phone: +82-44-201-6055

Email: gcjgina @gmail.com