Sejong Mayor Choi Minho: "With Reduced Government Funding Expected, Next Year's Budget Must Be Drafted Carefully"

Concerns Over Tightened Government Funding
Mayor Choi Stresses the Need for Cautious Budget Planning and Water Resource Security

"Government spending is expected to surge starting next year. It is necessary to exercise caution in drafting next year's budget for municipal administration."

Choi Minho, Mayor of Sejong, expressed concerns over anticipated difficulties in securing government funding as he presided over an executive meeting on August 19. He cited the government's commitment to invest and purchase a total of approximately $450 billion in the United States as the basis for his concerns. Consequently, it is expected that there will be significant challenges in managing next year's national finances.

In the next three and a half years alone, the government is required to invest and purchase about $450 billion in the United States-a sum equivalent to the nation’s annual budget-which is likely to result in a rigid government budget.

Furthermore, he pointed out that various factors requiring national funding, such as the United States' demand for increased defense cost sharing and the global economic crisis, are widespread. As a result, the amount of national funding allocated to local governments could decrease.

As a measure to minimize administrative disruption in the event of insufficient budget support, Mayor Choi called for meticulous planning of next year's budget or the promotion of related projects, keeping in mind that government funding may not be smoothly provided starting next year.

He also noted, "Although the region's annual rainfall far exceeds the global average, most of the water flows out to the sea due to a lack of freshwater facilities." He argued that the installation of dams and weirs is necessary to secure water resources, emphasizing that the Sejong Weir is essential for this reason.

Mayor Choi stated, "Yesterday, I heard from several farmers that the Yeondong-myeon and Geumnam-myeon areas are suffering from drought," and expressed concern that "despite the recent heavy rain, Sejong City is still facing a shortage of agricultural water."

He stressed that among the various disasters caused by climate change-such as typhoons and heavy rains-drought damage is the greatest concern, and proactive measures must be taken to address it.

Accordingly, he highlighted the need for measures to secure freshwater. He emphasized, "No matter how advanced science becomes, humans cannot survive without water. We must not carelessly let such a blessing of water resources, given by God, go to waste. We must find ways to secure freshwater with a sense of urgency."