Rising fuel prices spur online gasoline voucher resales

Rising fuel prices in South Korea are increasing the burden of refueling costs, prompting some motorists to trade gasoline vouchers online at prices below face value. At the same time, more commuters are weighing carpooling as a way to reduce transportation expenses.

On Saturday, a post on the online secondhand marketplace Danggeun Market offered a gasoline voucher worth 70,000 won for 63,000 won. The listing was completed within an hour. The seller, a 28-year-old identified only by the surname Yeo, said he decided to sell the voucher he had purchased in advance after soaring fuel prices prompted him to drive less often.

Some consumers are even seeking to buy discounted vouchers in bulk. Kim, a 26-year-old who posted a request on the resale platform Bunjang on March 5 looking for gasoline vouchers for long-distance commuting, said he purchased vouchers from two sellers within three days. “Fuel costs have risen so much that I am trying to save even a small amount,” Kim said. “I am also considering buying an electric vehicle.”

Listings for “fuel storage certificates,” prepaid vouchers that can be used only at specific gas stations, have also appeared in growing numbers. On March 7, a post on Bunjang offered a certificate worth 210,000 won that could be used at a gas station in Seoul’s Dongjak District for 180,000 won. Reservations for the voucher were filled within a day.

More people also appear to be giving gasoline vouchers as gifts. Reviews for S-Oil gasoline vouchers available through KakaoTalk’s gift service include comments such as “Fuel prices have been a burden lately, but this allowed me to fill up my tank without worry” and “It turned out to be a very practical birthday gift.”

Online forums also show motorists discussing carpooling as a way to cope with rising fuel costs. On March 7, a user on a Naver cafe wrote that colleagues had begun asking him for rides because he owns an electric vehicle. Another user wrote that fuel prices have climbed so sharply that he is considering carpooling with a coworker who lives nearby and works in a similar location.


정동진 기자 haedoji@donga.com