Mikyung Kim of Jeonnam Provincial Assembly Says "Office of Education Still Lacks Safety Awareness"

Criticism Over Repeated Cuts to Student Safety Budgets
Including Indoor Air Quality, Drinking Water, and Seismic Reinforcement

Mikyung Kim, a proportional representative of the Justice Party in the Jeonnam Provincial Assembly, strongly criticized the Jeonnam Office of Education for reducing the budget for key projects directly related to student safety.

On April 23, during the review of the first supplementary budget bill, Kim stated, "Projects such as improving indoor air quality in schools, managing drinking water, and seismic reinforcement are not merely matters of convenience, but are essential to protect the health and lives of students." She further pointed out, "It is extremely regrettable and difficult to understand that the essential budget for these projects is repeatedly being reduced."

Mikyung Kim, Jeonnam Provincial Assembly Member

In particular, she emphasized, "The reality that the student safety budget is being reduced every year has not improved. Student safety should never be neglected for reasons such as contract procedures or bid price differences. The related budget must be secured as the highest priority."

Additionally, Kim repeatedly urged the Jeonnam Office of Education to take a more proactive approach in securing the budget and to prioritize student safety throughout the budget execution process in order to resolve the recurring issue of student safety budget cuts.

In response, Vice Superintendent Hwang Sunghwan said, "I agree with your concerns," and explained, "Most of the budget reductions this time are due to bid price differences, and were not made arbitrarily." He added, "This year, some project budgets were inevitably reduced during the mid-year adjustment process due to a decrease in tax revenue."