The fate of next year's pilot project for basic income in rural and fishing villages in Namhae County, Gyeongsangnam-do, as well as the budget for operating the Future Education District, which had sparked controversy over budget cuts, was decided by the Gyeongnam Provincial Council.
On December 16, the Gyeongnam Provincial Council held the 6th plenary session of its 428th regular meeting, the final plenary session of the year, processing a total of 46 agenda items, including the 2026 budget proposals for Gyeongsangnam-do and the Gyeongnam Office of Education, and concluded the session.
During the session, the council unanimously approved the revised budget proposal for Gyeongsangnam-do, totaling 1.42841 trillion won.
The budget includes funding for the Namhae County rural and fishing village basic income pilot project, which had been completely cut by the council’s Agriculture, Maritime, and Fisheries Committee but was restored by the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts.
In approving the budget, the council adopted an accompanying opinion calling for an increase in the current national funding ratio for the rural and fishing village basic income pilot project from the present 40%, and for the establishment of financial support measures for other cities and counties not selected for the pilot project.
The council also passed a resolution urging the central government to expand national funding for the rural and fishing village basic income pilot project.
Subsequently, the council approved the 660.58 billion won special account budget for education expenses for the Gyeongnam Office of Education for next year.
Previously, while reviewing next year’s education budget, the council’s Special Committee on Budget and Accounts cut a total of 7.329 billion won from five projects, including the entire 2.636 billion won allocated for the Future Education District project to address the population decline crisis.
However, the committee created a new item to support after-school programs at private kindergartens, allocating 594 million won for this purpose.
Superintendent Park Jonghoon responded to the creation of this new item, stating, "I cannot agree to the establishment of a new budget item or an increase in the budget by the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts."
According to the Local Autonomy Act, it is not permissible to increase the amount of expenditure or create new cost items without the consent of the head of the local government.
In response, Chairman Choi Hakbeom declared a 20-minute recess. When the plenary session resumed, the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts urgently proposed a revised bill that maintained the cut to the Future Education District project and completely removed the after-school program support item.
The revised bill was then put to a roll-call electronic vote without debate. Out of 53 members present, 46 voted in favor, 4 against, and 3 abstained, and the revised bill passed the plenary session.
Vote results on the revised bill for the 2026 Gyeongsangnam-do Special Education Account Budget announced on the electronic display board at the 6th plenary session of the 428th regular meeting of the Gyeongnam Provincial Council. Photo by Se Ryeong Lee
This year, the Office of Education included the Future Education District budget in its supplementary budget proposal and reallocated the project budget to address the population decline crisis in 14 cities and counties at high risk of school-age population reduction and demographic extinction. These efforts aimed to revive the foundation for the village education community project, which had been lost following the repeal of the ordinance supporting village education community revitalization last year.
However, the budget was repeatedly cut by the council’s Education Committee, the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, and finally in the plenary session, resulting in the failure to allocate the project budget.
After the education budget was processed, Superintendent Park stated, "Given that even the comprehensive project budget for the superintendent was completely cut in this budget, I ask for your understanding that I could not extend even a customary thank you to the various assembly members."
He then shared a personal anecdote from his childhood, recalling how a drunken relative urinated on him during a family celebration.
He explained, "If I had gotten up in surprise or turned on the light so that the adults saw what happened, the relative would have been embarrassed and the situation would have become even more complicated. So, I just endured it. That is how I have spent each day for the past four years, including today. I think I have served as superintendent for too long."
After the plenary session, the council held a closing ceremony in the lobby on the first floor, marking the end of this year’s legislative activities.
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