People at a community center in Suwon, Gyeonggi-do Province, on July 21 line up to apply for the consumption voucher on the opening day of the government stimulus program. (Yonhap News)

By Koh Hyunjeong

Select expats are eligible to receive the stimulus voucher under a government program to boost domestic consumption.

The Lee administration has included expats who meet the requirements for the stimulus designed to alleviate economic sluggishness and energize consumer spending.

Those eligible are permanent residents with the F-5 visa, marriage immigrants (F-6), recognized refugees (F-2-4) registered as living in Korea and having national health or other medical insurance.

The system provides vouchers worth from KRW 150,000 to KRW 550,000 per person based on income level primarily for citizens but also foreign residents who meet the required criteria.

The first round of distribution offers vouchers worth KRW 150,000 to KRW 400,000 during the designated period of July 21 to Sept. 12. The second will give an additional KRW 100,000 except those in the top 10% income bracket from Sept. 22 to Oct. 31.

As of May, the country had 154,038 permanent residents, 184,165 marriage immigrants and 1,598 recognized refugees, the Korea Immigration Service of the Ministry of Justice said.

"An estimated 358,000 foreign residents are eligible for the consumption coupons," an official of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said. "We've distributed guides in English to local governments on using and applying for the coupon."

hjkoh@korea.kr