Jang Geumyong Vows to Secure Maximum National Funding
for Changwon’s Key Future Projects
Active Efforts Continue Until Finalization of 2026 Government Budget
On September 3, Changwon Special City announced that a significant portion of the national budget for major projects that will drive the city’s future has been included in the 2026 government budget proposal, which was finalized by the government after a Cabinet meeting on August 29.
To foster future growth industries, Changwon City held reporting sessions in February and May to identify projects eligible for next year’s national funding and to check the progress of these initiatives. Through these sessions, the city discovered key national projects and reviewed their progress.
Changwon has actively worked to secure national funding, aligning its efforts with the national fiscal management plan and the central government’s budget planning stages. City officials have regularly visited central ministries and the Ministry of Economy and Finance to explain projects and actively participate in budget deliberations.
According to the newly proposed government budget, 71 major national projects for 2026-excluding annual and recurring projects-have been included for Changwon City, amounting to 722.8 billion won.
The main projects reflected in the budget are as follows: ▲ Physical AI technology development and demonstration, 40 billion won (total project cost: 1 trillion won); ▲ Global manufacturing convergence software development and demonstration, 13.5 billion won (total project cost: 49.3 billion won); ▲ Manufacturing-specialized ultra-large manufacturing AI service development and demonstration, 7.7 billion won (total project cost: 22.7 billion won); ▲ Construction of the SMR robot utilization production support center, 2.9 billion won (total project cost: 32.3 billion won); ▲ Establishment of an AI and big data-based advanced medical and bio device research and manufacturing center, 2.4 billion won (total project cost: 25.7 billion won); ▲ Innovation Academy, 7.3 billion won (total project cost: 43.5 billion won); ▲ Extreme materials demonstration research infrastructure project, 32.5 billion won (total project cost: 309.7 billion won); ▲ Creation of the Changwon National Industrial Complex cultural leading industrial complex, 12.5 billion won (total project cost: 75.1 billion won); ▲ Southern region wide-area tourism development project (including the creation of a Korean Wave-themed tourism garden), 8.3 billion won (total project cost: 90.1 billion won); ▲ Disaster prevention projects such as improvement of natural disaster risk zones, 21.4 billion won (total project cost: 193.2 billion won); ▲ Jinhae marine leisure tourism hub development project, 1.2 billion won (total project cost: 43 billion won); ▲ Jinhae New Port construction project, 460 billion won (total project cost: 7.9195 trillion won).
The city plans to make every effort to secure as much national funding as possible for projects whose government funding has not yet been finalized, such as government contest projects and total allocation projects that have not yet reached their selection period. This will be done through cooperation with the Ministry of Economy and Finance and National Assembly members until the 2026 government budget is finalized.
Jang Geumyong, Acting Mayor of Changwon Special City, stated, "As the projects we are promoting as core initiatives are those that will shape the future of our city, we will do our utmost to secure seed funding so that next year’s national projects can proceed without any setbacks."
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