Goyang City, 2025 Budget Plan Set at 3.3405 Trillion Won

Focus on Strategic Industry Development: Video Culture Complex, IP Convergence Content, KINTEX Exhibition Hall 3
Investment in Talent Development, Improvement of Commuting Traffic Environment, Active Support for Childbirth, Childcare, Senior Jobs, and Social Participation
Lee Dong-hwan, Mayor of Goyang, "Fostering Advanced Industries, Creating a Pleasant City, Preparing for Low Birthrate and Aging Society"

Goyang Special City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Dong-hwan) announced on the 21st that it has prepared a 2025 budget proposal amounting to 3.3405 trillion KRW and submitted it to the city council.

A view of Goyang Special City Hall. Provided by Goyang Special City.

The general account is 2.8096 trillion KRW, and the special account is 530.9 billion KRW, which are increases of 158.2 billion KRW and 15.6 billion KRW respectively compared to 2024.

Although the total budget size for 2025 increased compared to 2024, the financial independence ratio for 2025 fell by 1.41% from 33.68% in 2024 to 32.27%. This is because the scale of various national and provincial subsidies increased more than the city’s own revenue, meaning that available resources to operate city projects independently have become more limited despite the larger budget.

Amid difficult financial conditions, the city implemented rational financial innovations for sound fiscal management. First, all projects, including subsidy projects, were re-examined from the ground up, and budgets for projects with low efficiency, those traditionally budgeted out of habit, and projects with poor performance were boldly adjusted.

Also, for projects previously funded by the general account, those with established funds were maximally financed through these funds to minimize expenditures from the general account. The city stated that the budget for 2025 was prepared by reflecting the voices of Goyang citizens as much as possible with the resources thus secured.

Looking at the 2025 budget prepared by Goyang City by sector, first, investment in a global premium city where advanced industries and culture converge was prioritized.

With the start of the 8th elected term, the city focused on fostering core strategic industries ahead of the final designation of the Goyang Free Economic Zone.

It will invest 2 billion KRW in the Goyang Video Culture Complex, 16.2 billion KRW for the creation of an IP convergence content cluster and attracting companies, 43 billion KRW for the construction of the KINTEX Exhibition Hall 3, 11.2 billion KRW for the smart city development project, and 700 million KRW for the 2025 Drone Urban Air Mobility Expo.

Additionally, 300 million KRW will be invested in the project to register Bukhansanseong Fortress as a World Heritage site, 100 million KRW for feasibility analysis of building a public museum, and 50 million KRW for establishing a basic plan for the Culture Street to promote Goyang’s long history and culture and enhance citizens’ pride.

Second, the city will improve the educational environment to nurture future talents and create a sustainable city that cultivates tomorrow.

It will invest 3.2 billion KRW in the Education Development Special Zone project to foster talents who will lead the 4th Industrial Revolution era, 2.7 billion KRW in the Goyang-style education support project called Goyang Future Education Cooperation District, and 700 million KRW in the lifelong education voucher support project. The city plans to focus on realizing future education that expands learning beyond schools into the local community.

Furthermore, 500 million KRW will be invested in a study for the Goyang Urban Master Plan to present long-term development directions suited to the changed environment, along with 400 million KRW for revising the landscape plan and 300 million KRW for revising the public design promotion plan to cultivate the city in line with new development directions.

Fifty billion KRW will be invested in building administrative welfare centers in Jungsan 2-dong and Haengsin 4-dong to improve administrative convenience for citizens, 6.8 billion KRW for constructing sports centers in Wonheung, Baekseok, and Tanhyeon, 1.8 billion KRW for creating a book cafe in Ilsan Lake Park, and 500 million KRW for the basic study on developing Haengju Naru, thereby enhancing citizens’ quality of life and promoting balanced regional development.

Third, the city will invest in a vibrant city that supports the dreams of youth and breathes vitality into the community. To support the management stability of small business owners and SMEs facing financial difficulties, 2.2 billion KRW has been allocated as a special guarantee fund contribution to the Gyeonggi Credit Guarantee Foundation for small business owners, and 1 billion KRW as a contribution fund for SME support.

To encourage the dreams of youth, the city allocated 700 million KRW for operating the Tomorrow Dream Factory and youth support spaces, 50 million KRW for the Goyang IR-DAY, and 500 million KRW for operating the 28 Youth Startup Center. Additionally, 700 million KRW was allocated from the job fund for the Goyang Youth Future Support Project to support youth employment and startups.

In the transportation sector, 1 billion KRW was allocated for the contribution to the Daejang~Hongdae Line metropolitan railway project, which is about to begin construction, and 1.2 billion KRW for the metropolitan bus quasi-public operation project. Ahead of the full implementation of the city and village bus quasi-public operation system in 2027, 400 million KRW was allocated for research on bus route system reorganization, and 1 billion KRW for the establishment of a road construction management plan to set goals and directions for overall road management, aiming to improve commuting traffic conditions.

Fourth, the city will invest in a safe city equipped with welfare and safety nets that citizens can trust.

The city prepared a budget to accompany socially vulnerable groups happily through customized and rational welfare. In line with population policies, 7.8 billion KRW will be invested in childbirth support funds, 10.6 billion KRW in childcare services, and 100 million KRW in the operation of the Anytime Daycare Center to provide a child-rearing friendly environment. Additionally, 39.2 billion KRW will be invested in senior job and social activity support projects, 6.4 billion KRW in senior customized care services, and 250 million KRW to enhance the functions of the senior comprehensive welfare center, strengthening the welfare system suitable for the super-aged era.

Safety budgets to prepare for disasters and accidents were also intensively allocated. Two hundred million KRW will be invested in maintaining ground-penetrating radar surveys to conduct joint investigations in areas at risk of ground subsidence.

In particular, 5.7 billion KRW will be invested in the natural disaster risk improvement district maintenance project in Daehwa, Gangmae, and Jangwol areas, which suffer from habitual flooding every year, to prepare for extreme heavy rains.

Moreover, projects to stop climate change and protect environmental values will continue. These include 70 million KRW for the Goyang Energy Basic Plan establishment study, 6.3 billion KRW for reducing emissions from diesel vehicles in operation, 48.6 billion KRW for electric vehicle purchase support, and 1.4 billion KRW for supporting the distribution of renewable energy such as solar power facilities.

Mayor Lee Dong-hwan of Goyang Special City said, “Despite difficult financial conditions, we have actively invested in fostering advanced strategic industries, nurturing talents, and creating pleasant urban environments, and prepared the 2025 budget to establish social safety nets in response to the low birthrate and aging society.” He asked for citizens’ deep interest and the city council’s active cooperation.