Seongnam City Allocates 3.9 Trillion Won for 2026 Budget
Mayor Shin Sangjin Announces Next Year's Administrative Direction
"Robust Welfare, Bold Industry"
Accelerating Bundang Reconstruction and System Semiconductor Development
On November 20, Seongnam Mayor Shin Sangjin presented the 2026 budget proposal and the direction of city administration at the 2nd regular meeting of the 307th Seongnam City Council. He stated that, under the principles of "robust welfare, bold industry, and sound finances," the city would maintain fiscal soundness while focusing on improving the quality of life for its citizens. The proposed budget for Seongnam City for next year totals 3.9408 trillion won, representing a 2.9% increase compared to this year's main budget.
Seongnam Mayor Shin Sangjin is explaining the 2026 budget proposal and the direction of city administration at the 2nd regular meeting of the 307th Seongnam City Council on the 20th. Provided by Seongnam City
Mayor Shin emphasized, "Ranking first for two consecutive years in the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's annual announcement of 'fiscal independence among basic local governments nationwide' is the result of decisively reducing unnecessary expenditures and restoring fiscal discipline. The funds secured in this way are being reinvested in citizen welfare and the city's future."
Major achievements highlighted include: ▲ the removal of age restrictions and a 200,000 won monthly increase for veterans' honor allowances ▲ expanded support for shingles vaccinations and dementia screening co-payments ▲ new support for hepatitis A and pertussis vaccinations, strengthening the health safety net ▲ attracting the Wirye POSCO Global Center, which is expected to generate an economic effect of about 16 trillion won over the next 10 years ▲ becoming the first Korean city to win the top prize in the mobility category at the Smart City Expo World Congress in Spain ▲ announcing the vision for the "Ori Station Area 4th Technovalley" ▲ expanding citizen leisure spaces such as Seongnam Mulbit Garden, Yuldong Park Auto Camping Site, and the Book Reading Square Library.
Mayor Shin then identified "robust welfare" as the core value of next year's budget, stating, "The largest portion of the budget, 1.4246 trillion won, has been allocated to social welfare, making support for citizens our top priority." He also explained, "To ensure fiscal soundness, we have allocated the full repayment of 112 billion won in local bonds, taking on the challenge of becoming a 'zero-debt city.'"
He added, "We will focus the fiscal capacity secured through cost savings on industrial investment, citizen safety, and strengthening urban competitiveness, unwaveringly advancing key projects that will open Seongnam's future."
Comprehensive and Robust Support for Children, Seniors, and Youth
To support children's first steps, Seongnam City has established a new "elementary school entrance preparation fund," allocating 200,000 won per child for a total of 1.26 billion won. The "eco-friendly fruit meal support" program has been allocated 7 billion won, and the popular "Haenim Dallim Playground" for dual-income families will see 13 additional locations established next year.
To enhance citizens' health, 9.9 billion won has been allocated for "influenza and other vaccination programs," and a new longevity congratulatory payment of 500,000 won for citizens over 100 years old has been introduced, with continued support for public transportation costs for those over 70.
The "youth employment monthly rent and moving cost support program" for youth independence will be expanded from the current 10 months to 12 months, with 2.3 billion won allocated. The "Youth Employment All Pass" program has been allocated 3.8 billion won to strengthen the employment capabilities of unemployed youth.
Reorganizing Bundang and the Old Downtown... Accelerating Reconstruction and Redevelopment
Seongnam City will accelerate redevelopment and reconstruction to redraw the city's future map. In Bundang, the first "Reconstruction Support Center" among first-generation new towns will be established to strengthen communication with residents and speed up reconstruction. The city will actively respond to unreasonable regulations such as supply restrictions and prohibition of carryovers that apply only to Bundang, and will promptly designate special maintenance zones in leading districts.
In the old downtown, redevelopment projects will be fully launched according to the living area plan, with redevelopment maintenance plans and designation services for five districts including Sujin 2 and two districts including Taepyeong 1. A redevelopment support center will be set up in the heart of the old downtown to support resident-led redevelopment based on accumulated administrative experience.
Additionally, to ensure stable district heating supply, the city will pursue approval for preliminary feasibility studies for heat supply facility installation and lifting of development restriction zones, and will secure new heat source sites to resolve obstacles to redevelopment and reconstruction.
System Semiconductors, AI, and Future Mobility... Full-Scale Development of Strategic Industries
Seongnam City will focus on developing strategic industries such as system semiconductors, fabless companies, manufacturing AI, and mobility data. A total of 2.301 billion won has been allocated to support companies through the "Shared Use of Advanced Fabless Equipment Project" and the "System Semiconductor Verification Support Center Construction Project." The city will also embark on the 15.1 billion won "Manufacturing AI Solution Development Support Center" project to drive digital innovation among small and medium-sized manufacturers.
Mayor Shin stated, "The achievements we have accumulated this year were made possible by the trust of our citizens, and the changes we will bring next year are Seongnam's answer to that trust." He added, "The much-discussed Daejang-dong criminal proceeds, estimated at around 700 billion won, are not someone else's problem, but a direct loss to Seongnam citizens and public property that must be recovered." He also pledged to ensure transparent and fair budget execution and project management to prevent any possibility of corruption or crime in public projects.
Mayor Shin emphasized, "The 2026 budget proposal focuses on 'expanding citizen-centered welfare,' 'balanced regional development,' and 'strengthening the foundation for future industries.' By harmoniously advancing these three pillars, we will make citizens' lives more comfortable today and build a stronger future for Seongnam."
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