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Card companies hold drawing for extra payments to gov't vouchers

Published: 27 Jul. 2025, 13:24

A restaurant in Seoul posts a notice that customers can use the livelihood recovery vouchers on July 24. [YONHAP]

Card companies are rolling out promotions to convince people to receive the government's livelihood recovery vouchers on cards.

According to the financial industry Sunday, card companies are holding lottery events where they draw a select number of customers using the cards they receive their stimulus money on, with the companies giving an additional payment of up to 50,000 won ($36).

The event is funded entirely by the card companies themselves, with a total budget of 2.5 billion won.

Those who use up their vouchers issued through card companies by Aug. 31 will be automatically entered into the lottery without having to apply.

A total of 310,000 winners will be selected: 50,000 won will be awarded to 10,000 people, 10,000 won to 100,000 people and 5,000 won to 200,000 people.

The additional coupons can be used only at small businesses with annual sales of 3 billion won or less and stores that accept local gift certificates. They cannot be used at major retailers, department stores, online malls or directly operated franchise locations.

The event is being held without advertisements or promotional campaigns, following a government request that card companies refrain from excessive marketing tied to the voucher program.

The first round of voucher applications runs from July 21 to Sept. 12. During the first week, applications were restricted by day based on the final digit of applicants’ birth years to manage high demand.

Since Saturday, the final-digit restriction has been lifted, and anyone can apply regardless of birth year. A second round of vouchers — an additional 100,000 won for 90 percent of the population, excluding the top 10 percent — will begin on Sept. 22. Both the first and second rounds of vouchers must be used by Nov. 30.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KIM EUN-BIN [[email protected]]