Mokpo Mayor Kim Jong-sik, Next Year's Budget Focused on 'Investing in Regional Future Capabilities'

Next Year's Main Budget Draft Set at 890 Billion Won... 4.04% Increase Compared to This Year

Kim Jong-sik, Mayor of Mokpo, presenting the direction of city administration for the next year at the regular session of the Mokpo City Council. Photo by Mokpo City

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jeong Seunghyun] On the 2nd, Kim Jongsik, mayor of Mokpo City, submitted the 2022 budget proposal at the 2nd regular meeting of the 370th Mokpo City Council and presented this year's major achievements and next year's city administration direction.

According to the city on the 2nd, Mayor Kim stated in his policy speech, "We are swiftly securing and boldly promoting government priority projects such as renewable energy and tourism hub projects," and emphasized, "In 2022, we will focus on key policies of the 7th elected term, enhancing citizen happiness values, and recovering the local economy by concentrating investments on 3+1 future strategic industries, tourism infrastructure development, expansion of living SOC, and recovery of the local economy affected by COVID-19 for the future of Mokpo."

The city's major administrative directions for next year are ▲ fostering future-oriented new industries in the renewable energy sector ▲ realizing the nation's number one seafood food city leading export markets ▲ creating a global premium tourism city ▲ leaping forward as a cultural city with new urban competitiveness ▲ strengthening sustainable urban competitiveness ▲ focusing on population inflow and job creation ▲ building a safe and happy city for citizens.

The 2022 general budget prepared by the city amounts to a total of 890 billion KRW, an increase of 4.04% compared to this year. The final budget for 2021 was 1.2375 trillion KRW.

By sector, the social welfare division accounts for 406.2 billion KRW, an increase of 27.1 billion KRW from this year, making up 50.4% of the general account.

The industry, small and medium enterprises, and environment sectors were allocated 107.3 billion KRW; culture, tourism, and education sectors 64.3 billion KRW; transportation and logistics sectors 58.6 billion KRW. Additionally, 22.3 billion KRW was allocated to health, and 25.7 billion KRW to land and regional development sectors respectively.

The city allocated the budget with a focus on major projects such as building a social welfare safety net, expanding youth jobs, constructing a new parking tower, increasing and attracting population, and the Romantic Jazz Festival.

Mayor Kim said, "We will do our best to execute the budget transparently and effectively," and added, "We will listen closely to citizens and devote all our efforts to city administration that looks far ahead for the future of Mokpo."