이창양 산업통상자원부 장관 (사진=연합뉴스)

 

[Alpha Biz=(Chicago) Reporter Paul Lee] The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy abruptly canceled an "emergency meeting of energy state-run companies," which was scheduled to be held on the 2nd, just before the meeting to check the risks of a delay in raising electricity and gas prices. 

 

There is a possibility that the influence of politicians concerned about worsening public opinion may have played a role.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy planned to hold a meeting at 2 p.m. to check the financial situation of these companies and possible risks from delayed rate hikes, presided over by Vice Minister Park Il-joon and the president of Korea Electric Power Corp. and Korea Gas Corp. attending. He also submitted a press reference that emphasized the need to raise electricity and gas rates before the meeting.

However, just an hour before the meeting, the meeting was suddenly canceled at around 1 p.m. "We inevitably postponed it because it took time to review the financial situation of state-run companies and conduct a comprehensive inspection of changes in international fuel costs and self-rescue efforts of state-run companies," the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said in a statement.

 

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