Paju-si Protects Living Waste Disposal Budget and Other Livelihood Expenses

Bold Expansionary Fiscal Policy of 2.1527 Trillion Won Prioritizes Livelihood Recovery
Cross-Party Unity for Citizens' Welfare...Fully Secured Budget for Household Waste Management Amid Public Concerns
Budget Confirmed by City Council Vote in Plenary Session...Paju City Welcomes Wise Decision of Council Members

Paju City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Kim Kyung-il) announced on the 18th that the '2025 Budget Proposal and Fund Operation Plan,' including the budget for delegated collection and transportation of household waste?a matter of great concern to citizens?and other livelihood-related budgets closely connected to citizens' daily lives, was approved and finalized by a vote of the city council during the 3rd plenary session of the 251st Paju City Council. The finalized 2025 main budget amounts to 2.1527 trillion KRW, marking the largest budget ever, with a 7.3% increase compared to last year.

Paju City Hall exterior. Provided by Paju City

Notably, among the budgets approved by vote this time, the 13.7 billion KRW budget for delegated household waste collection and transportation services, which was partially cut during the preliminary review by the Urban Industry Committee of the Paju City Council but later reinstated by the Special Budget and Accounts Committee (hereafter, the Budget Committee), and the approximately 120 million KRW budget for creating a women-friendly city and gender equality education, which was cut during the preliminary review by the Autonomous Administration Committee but reinstated by the Budget Committee, were included.

The city council’s review process of the 2025 Paju City budget was not smooth. On the 17th, the Budget Committee (Chair Lee Jung-eun) resolved that livelihood budgets directly related to citizens' lives must be reflected in the main budget and submitted the final approved budget proposal to the plenary session on the 18th.

However, a motion urging the approval of the budget as reviewed by the Urban Industry Committee was jointly proposed by seven council members (four from the Democratic Party of Korea, three from the People Power Party) and put to a vote but was rejected with eight opposing votes (three from the Democratic Party of Korea, four from the People Power Party, one independent) and seven in favor. Subsequently, the vote on the Budget Committee’s budget proposal passed with nine votes in favor and six against, finalizing the 2025 Paju City main budget.

The budget that the Urban Industry Committee initially sought to cut included approximately 13.7 billion KRW for the 'Paju City Household Waste Collection and Transportation Delegated Budget,' for which about 300 sanitation workers held a rally in front of the city council on the 16th to defend their right to livelihood, as well as budgets for CCTV installation to ensure citizen safety and other livelihood-related urgent matters.

Regarding the voting outcome, Paju City expressed its welcome that the ruling and opposition parties united solely for the citizens by reflecting essential budgets closely tied to citizens’ lives, such as household waste collection and transportation, in the main budget. The city interpreted this as a result reflecting the council’s will to empathize with Paju City’s policies aimed at alleviating citizen inconvenience, protecting socially vulnerable groups, and restoring the livelihood economy.

Meanwhile, with the main budget finalized, the city plans to actively begin the role of public finance in replenishing the livelihood coffers that have sharply shrunk due to decreased private consumption and investment, high interest rates, high inflation, and political turmoil amid difficult economic conditions, thereby cushioning the shock to the low-income economy.

Additionally, considering concerns about a two-year consecutive low-growth shock in the 1% range and ongoing unstable domestic and international situations, the city intends to fully ensure the execution of the approved budget to drive the regional economy, which has turned red, and promptly implement it once the fiscal year begins so that warmth can reach every corner of the frozen livelihood.