Councilor Choi Ji-hyun: "Financial Support from Jeonnam for Oral Care of Disabled People"

'Budget Allocation' Gwangju 1.3 Billion Won but Jeonnam Only 200 Million Won

Choi Ji-hyun, Gwangju City Council Member

There has been a call to seek financial support from Jeonnam Province to ensure the smooth operation of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Regional Dental Care Center for the Disabled, which is mostly funded by the Gwangju city budget.

On the 4th, Choi Ji-hyun, a member of the Gwangju City Council (Democratic Party, Gwangsan 1), during an administrative audit of the Gwangju Welfare and Health Bureau, stated, "From 2012 to August of this year, the Gwangju-Jeonnam Regional Dental Care Center for the Disabled used 1.36 billion KRW from the Gwangju city budget for dental care of disabled residents of Jeonnam Province, while Jeonnam Province provided a cumulative support of 240 million KRW during the same period," and pointed out, "Since the center is mostly operated with Gwangju's budget alone, additional support from Jeonnam Province is necessary."

Councilor Choi added, "Last year, dental treatment costs of about 177 million KRW for 2,402 Jeonnam residents (27.0% of all patients) who used the center were covered solely by the Gwangju budget," and said, "It is unfair that Gwangju bears most of the operating costs for a center used by residents of both the city and the province."

She continued, "For stable center operation and qualitative improvement of dental care for the disabled, Gwangju City should negotiate with Jeonnam Province to secure financial support from Jeonnam," and urged, "Prepare practical measures to strengthen cooperation between the two regions."

Meanwhile, the Gwangju-Jeonnam Regional Dental Care Center for the Disabled was established in 2011 with a total of 2.5 billion KRW, equally funded by national and city budgets, providing specialized dental treatment to disabled individuals.