Visited a gas station in Songpa District… Purchased gasoline at a low supply price, then raised the retail price the next day
Minister Kim Jeong-gwan made an unannounced visit to a refinery-operated gas station in Songpa District, Seoul.
On March 19, the ministry said Kim joined an interagency inspection team and conducted an unannounced visit to the refinery-operated station in Songpa District. The team focused on prices, distribution and product quality to identify any illegal activity.
The station Kim inspected is one of about 200 refinery-owned outlets that raised gasoline and diesel prices after March 12. Notably, the station purchased gasoline on March 13 at a lower supplier price but raised its retail gasoline price the next day, March 14.
The inspection team first sought to determine why stations raised pump prices despite the government’s price-cap policy. Inspectors also conducted petroleum product quality tests and checked for shortfalls in reported sales volumes. To investigate possible tax evasion, they obtained the station’s purchase and sales records and reviewed CCTV footage for signs of fraudulent fuel subsidy claims.
The inspection found that last October the station submitted false reports by omitting 28,000 liters of gasoline. The Korea Petroleum Management Service notified the Seoul Songpa District Office of the finding. The task force will closely analyze the documents collected today to determine whether tax evasion or quality violations occurred and, if it finds illegal activity, will impose sanctions under relevant laws.
Kim said, “Since refiners cut supply prices last week, gas stations should pass those reductions on to consumers without delay.” He emphasized that the interagency inspection team will continue checking stations suspected of illegal behavior until consumers can feel stable fuel prices at the pump.
By Ra-jin Jeong realjin03@viva100.com
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