Suncheon-si, Local Allocation Tax of 622.5 Billion Won This Year... Highest in the Province! Largest Ever Amount

This Year's Local Allocation Tax Increases by 120.6 Billion Won from Last Year, Reaching an All-Time High

Son Jeom-sik, Acting Mayor of Suncheon, engaged in national fund activities (Photo by Suncheon City)

[Suncheon=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] It has been revealed that the local allocation tax for Suncheon City, which is preparing for the 2023 Suncheonman International Garden Expo, is the largest in the province and also the highest amount ever for Suncheon City.

On the 14th, Suncheon City announced that the local allocation tax to be received from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety this year is 622.5 billion KRW, an increase of 120.6 billion KRW compared to last year, accounting for 46.8% of this year's first supplementary general account budget of 1.3288 trillion KRW.

With this increased funding, the city has provided daily recovery support funds to self-employed and small business owners, and expects major ongoing projects such as the 2023 Suncheonman International Garden Expo to proceed smoothly.

Based on the Special Act on the Garden Expo, which was primarily proposed by Assemblyman So Byeong-cheol, the city has secured 7 billion KRW in national budget including special allocation tax from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, reducing the financial burden while increasing the budget scale, thus making significant progress toward a "recovering daily life and revitalizing economy."

Regarding projects related to the 2023 Suncheonman International Garden Expo, the city secured an additional 4 billion KRW from the Korea Forest Service budget last year and 3 billion KRW in special allocation tax from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety recently for the reconstruction of the ‘Suncheonman Gyoryanggyo Bridge’ connecting Suncheonman National Garden and Suncheonman Wetland, achieving the remarkable result of securing 7 billion KRW in national budget for city roads (urban planning roads) that are not supported by national funds.

The city stated that to achieve these results, it has been strategically responding by moving swiftly since January, working as one team with the National Assembly to secure national funds and persuading the government, with Assemblyman So Byeong-cheol playing a significant role.

Additionally, the city has been selected for 23 public contest projects so far, securing 55.8 billion KRW in national and provincial funds, with 16 projects currently under review, showing a smooth start for next year's national and provincial fund acquisition. Following last year's record high national fund acquisition of 676.3 billion KRW, a green light has been lit for achieving the highest national fund acquisition goal for two consecutive years.

Suncheon City, which lacks sufficient self-generated revenue, considers securing as much budget as possible from the central government a very urgent and important task to drive urban development. Since January, many public officials have been working tirelessly with local National Assembly members, traveling between central government ministries and the National Assembly to secure national funds.

On the 11th, Son Jeom-sik, Deputy Mayor acting as the Mayor of Suncheon, visited Sejong City and held meetings with officials from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, additionally requesting 7.9 billion KRW in special allocation tax for the first half of this year.

In particular, he has been actively requesting 2.95 billion KRW for the ‘National Garden Botanical Garden Project,’ which will become a landmark of the 2023 Garden Expo, continuing his broad efforts to secure national funds.

Son Jeom-sik, Acting Mayor of Suncheon (Deputy Mayor of Suncheon City), stated, “With smooth acquisition of national funds and allocation tax, we have accelerated the successful promotion of the 2023 Suncheonman International Garden Expo,” adding, “Building on the successful acquisition of national funds, we will pursue continuous and proactive responses looking not only at next year but also subsequent years’ projects, and through ongoing consultations with central government ministries, we will secure the maximum national funds to ensure that ongoing projects proceed without any setbacks.”