Conflict Between Jung-gu District and Jung-gu Council in Seoul Leads to Budget Cuts, Ultimately Causing Resident Harm

Seoul Jung-gu "Jung-gu Council's Arbitrary Budget Cuts Make Jung-gu Residents the Biggest Victims" Claims
Condemning Jung-gu Council's Unfair Budget Cut Tyranny, Urging Prompt Restoration of Essential Budgets

"When the district office executive branch and the council are in conflict, the district office employees suffer."

This was said by an executive of a district in Seoul.

He shared experiences from districts such as Jongno-gu, Jung-gu, Seodaemun-gu, Mapo-gu, and Yeongdeungpo-gu, where conflicts between the executive branch and the council have occurred.

Moreover, the residents immediately suffer damages.

On the 12th, Kim Gil-seong, the mayor of Jung-gu, held a press conference at Jung-gu Office and expressed strong regret over the Jung-gu Council's budget cuts for 2024.

The 2024 project budget plan, originally totaling 576.4 billion KRW, was finally revised and approved at 568.4 billion KRW that day. The general account was cut by about 6.6 billion KRW, and the special account was cut by about 1.4 billion KRW. The total cut amount was 8 billion KRW.

The budget plan is a decision reflecting residents' opinions, project effectiveness analysis, and financial conditions. A normally reasonable council would take the meaning of the budget plan seriously and focus on increasing the budget to enhance residents' benefits.

However, the Jung-gu Council, simply because of differing political parties, despite the simplification of protocol guidelines, focused solely on "cuts for the sake of cuts," ignoring residents by claiming they were not given personnel opportunities and that officials did not comply with the council's unreasonable demands. As a result, essential projects for residents' daily lives such as cleaning, parking, welfare, and district administration promotion faced the risk of being stranded, Kim Gil-seong expressed his regret.

For example, the budget for "Junggu Plaza," a newsletter through which Jung-gu residents first receive useful policies necessary for daily life, was reduced by an amount corresponding to 10,000 copies.

The Jung-gu Council also did not hesitate to cut budgets for vulnerable groups such as infants and toddlers. Not only did they fail to approve the private consignment agreement for the Childcare Comprehensive Support Center for over a year, but they also unhesitatingly cut expenses for daycare center repairs and maintenance, as well as training support for childcare staff.

In the face of domestic and international economic crises, cutting the consignment project budget for the Apparel Fashion Support Center is tantamount to oppression of small sewing business owners. Cutting the "Architectural Consulting Support Budget for Residents," a follow-up measure to the relaxation of Namsan height restrictions, is an act that blocks the benefits of the Namsan height restriction relaxation, explained Kim Gil-seong. He also said that with budget cuts for waste disposal, parking lot management, and road facility maintenance, the Jung-gu Council will soon face resistance from residents who can no longer tolerate the inconvenience.

The reduction of the operating consignment budget for the Facilities Corporation also tied the hands and feet of the Facilities Corporation, which plays a major role in improving residents' health and welfare on the front lines, resulting in reduced convenience for residents.

Kim Gil-seong said, "The Jung-gu Council showed an oppressive attitude in the next year's budget review by damaging Jung-gu, blocking benefits for Jung-gu residents, and preventing Jung-gu policies that residents rightfully should know and enjoy from being publicized." He added, "We condemn the behavior of the Jung-gu Council in the name of Jung-gu residents." Furthermore, he strongly criticized, "A stern judgment from residents holding Chairman Gil Ki-young and the Democratic Party members of the Jung-gu Council accountable will soon come."