‘Focus on "Livelihood Stability, Economic Vitality, Urban Competitiveness"
Mayor Nogwan-gyu "Future Leap... Revitalizing Livelihood and Economy"’
Suncheon City, Jeollanam-do (Mayor Noh Gwan-gyu) has prepared a budget of 1.4888 trillion KRW for next year and submitted it to the Suncheon City Council on the 21st.
The budget for next year is the largest ever, achieving the largest financial scale in Jeollanam-do through stable and sound financial management over the past two years of the 8th elected administration.
Suncheon City has allocated a budget of 1.4888 trillion won for the next year and submitted it to the Suncheon City Council on the 21st. Photo shows the exterior view of the Suncheon City Hall.
The total amount increased by 65.1 billion KRW (4.5%) compared to this year's 1.4237 trillion KRW, with the general account at 1.2896 trillion KRW (3.5% increase) and the special account at 199.2 billion KRW (11.8% increase).
The city focused the secured resources?obtained through restructuring expenditures such as organizing national and provincial subsidy projects with low impact, minimizing carryovers, and reducing unspent balances?on three major areas: livelihood stability, economic vitality, and urban competitiveness. It allocated 472.6 billion KRW (31.7% of the total budget) to 109 core projects, increasing by 132.9 billion KRW (39%) compared to this year's 339.7 billion KRW.
Additionally, the city cut 10% of recurring expenses on its own, and used the saved funds to expand private subsidies by 17%, investing in livelihood and economic sectors.
For livelihood stability, the budget includes ▲new birth allowance of 2.2 billion KRW ▲continuing childbirth incentive of 7.2 billion KRW ▲expanded postpartum care support of 4.1 billion KRW ▲new operation of free city buses for seniors of 400 million KRW ▲new activity expenses for senior center presidents of 600 million KRW, totaling 276.4 billion KRW, which is an increase of 34.1 billion KRW (12.4%) compared to this year.
In the economic vitality budget, it includes ▲new 15% special discount on Suncheon Love Gift Certificates of 5 billion KRW ▲expanded issuance of Suncheon Love Gift Certificates of 7.9 billion KRW ▲expanded establishment of investment promotion funds of 8 billion KRW ▲20 billion KRW for revitalizing the old downtown commercial district ▲700 million KRW for urban smart farm development, totaling 57.4 billion KRW, an increase of 31.8 billion KRW (124%) compared to this year.
The urban competitiveness budget includes ▲continuing Yeonhyangdeul urban development project of 85.3 billion KRW ▲new creation of Citizen Plaza of 10 billion KRW ▲new establishment of Korea Cultural City of 6 billion KRW ▲new Glocal University 30 and Education Development Special Zone of 5.1 billion KRW, totaling 138.8 billion KRW, an increase of 67 billion KRW (93%) compared to this year.
Despite the ongoing economic downturn and financial crisis caused by the reduction of local allocation tax, the city has prepared the largest budget among local governments in Jeollanam-do. This clearly demonstrates the results of the city's sound financial management, which has consistently invested in livelihood stability, economic vitality, and urban competitiveness instead of one-time disaster relief payments.
In particular, since the launch of the 8th elected administration, the welfare budget has increased by 105.5 billion KRW (26.6%) compared to 2022, reaching 501.8 billion KRW, accounting for the largest share of 38.9% of the total budget. The agricultural budget increased by 19.7 billion KRW (11.3%) to 193.4 billion KRW, investing 14.9% of the total budget in farm management stability and future agriculture.
Mayor Noh Gwan-gyu said, “Next year’s budget is focused on the three major areas of livelihood stability, economic vitality, and urban competitiveness to overcome the ongoing economic downturn and respond to the crisis of local extinction. Through efficient and sound financial management over the past two years of the 8th elected administration, we will fully commit to revitalizing livelihood and the economy while actively promoting future leaps forward next year.”
Meanwhile, the 2025 main budget will be reviewed by the 283rd Suncheon City Council Standing Committee and the Budget and Accounts Special Committee, and is scheduled to be approved and finalized at the plenary session on December 18.
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