The state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), South Korea's electricity monopoly, said Thursday it has decided to freeze electricity prices for the second quarter. In 2023, KEPCO raised the rates three times -- by 13.1 won per kilowatt hour (kWh) in the first quarter, 8 won in the second quarter and 10.6 won in the fourth quarter, which was confined to commercial electricity use. Industry watchers, however, anticipate that KEPCO will continue to face pressure to raise prices this year as its losses continue to mount. From 2021 to 2023, KEPCO's combined operating losses reached around 43 trillion won, attributed to the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which spurred volatility in global energy prices. The losses came as the company had not been able to raise electricity bills enough to cover high fuel costs amid the COVID-19 pandemic and high inflation. During his confirmation hearing in January, Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun said the ministry would consider adjusting prices by taking into a ccount people's financial burden, exchange rate and global energy prices at "an appropriate time." Source: Yonhap News Agency
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