Ulsan Mayor Kim Dookyum Makes All-out Effort to Secure National Budget for 2025

Meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sangmok on the 24th

Requesting National Funding for Garden Cultural Industry Development

Ulsan City announced that Mayor Kim Dookyum will actively work to secure national funding for 2025 by meeting with Deputy Prime Minister for Economy Choi Sangmok at the Government Complex Sejong on the 24th to propose next year's national projects.

On this day, Mayor Kim Dookyum of Ulsan will meet with Deputy Prime Minister for Economy Choi Sangmok, Economic Budget Deliberation Officer Kang Yoonjin, and others to propose the necessity of including national funding for three major projects in 2025.

The city's main proposals are: ▲Establishment of infrastructure for the garden cultural industry ▲Improvement of water quality in public waters at the Samsan and Yeocheon landfill sites ▲Construction of a Canoe Slalom Center (stadium).

The projects to establish infrastructure for the garden cultural industry and to improve water quality at the Samsan and Yeocheon landfill sites aim to expand urban nature and restore the aquatic ecosystem around the damaged landfill areas.

Through these projects, the city seeks to contribute to the nation’s sustainable development, respond to climate change, and raise awareness of the importance of the ecological environment through the ‘2028 Ulsan International Garden Expo’.

The construction of the Canoe Slalom Center involves building an international-scale canoe slalom stadium to attract the headquarters of the Asian Canoe Confederation (ACC) and international competitions, thereby enhancing the nation’s status and promoting balanced regional development through sports.

In addition, the city will also propose two more projects: the creation of a Startup Park to serve as a growth base for startup companies, and the introduction of an eco-friendly hydrogen electric tram through the ‘Ulsan Urban Railway (Tram) Line 1 Construction’ project.

Subsequently, Mayor Kim Dookyum will also meet with Vice Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety Ko Kidong and Director General for Local Finance and Economy Han Soonki to request an increase in the general grant for 2025.

The general grant system reallocates resources concentrated in the central government to local governments, supporting the realization of local autonomy, and can be used autonomously for Ulsan City’s key projects.

Mayor Kim Dookyum stated, “Since the government’s budget policy is expected to maintain a sound fiscal stance, it is important to ensure that our citizens’ wishes are reflected as much as possible in the government budget bill,” adding, “We will respond proactively at each review stage by the Ministry of Economy and Finance to secure sufficient funding.”

The national budget for 2025 will be finalized after the Ministry of Economy and Finance reviews each ministry’s budget proposals from this month through August and submits the government budget bill to the National Assembly by September 2, after which it will be reviewed and approved by the National Assembly and finalized on December 2.