32.6 million to get up to 600,000 won in relief cash. Will non-Korean residents be included?

Some 32.56 million people in South Korea — those in the bottom 70 percent of the income bracket — will likely receive a one-off cash handout of between 100,000 won and 600,000 won ($65-$390) under the government’s supplementary budget plan.

he program, unveiled Tuesday as part of a 26.2 trillion won extra budget proposal, aims to ease the burden of higher living costs driven by surging oil prices, as the ongoing Middle East conflict disrupts global fuel supplies, the Finance Ministry said. The plan is subject to parliamentary approval.

It was not immediately clear whether non-Korean nationals residing in South Korea would be eligible to receive the funds.

Under the plan, payouts are to vary by region and income level. Residents in the Seoul metropolitan area receive 100,000 won, while those in designated population-decline areas get up to 250,000 won.

Additional support is to go to vulnerable groups. Single-parent families and near-poverty households would receive 450,000 won, while basic livelihood recipients get 550,000 won. Those living outside the capital region receive an extra 50,000 won.

In a similar 12 trillion won cash handout program last year, the government largely excluded non-Korean residents, making exceptions only for those listed on a household registration record with at least one Korean national, as well as permanent residents with F-5 visas and marriage migrants.

The latest plan comes as the National Human Rights Commission has called for a broader inclusion of foreign nationals in such support programs. Earlier this month, the commission urged relevant ministries to expand eligibility, arguing that limiting access to certain visa groups could amount to discrimination without reasonable grounds.