Yeongcheon City Council Points Out City Issues Including "Limitations in Attracting Large-Scale Performances at Culture and Arts Center"

Calls for Securing Public Trust and Adhering to Principles of Rational Budget Allocation at Regular Meeting

The Yeongcheon City Council (Chairman Kim Seontae) held a regular meeting on January 20, attended by council members and heads of relevant departments from the executive branch.

During the meeting, participants exchanged opinions on a total of eight agenda items, including: ▲ the results of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s feasibility study on the construction of the Culture and Arts Center and response strategies for the central investment review; ▲ the implementation plan for the Yeongcheon Kumho General Industrial Complex development project; ▲ the current status of the Yasaji District land readjustment project; and ▲ budget allocation related to the construction of public parking lots.

Provided by Yeongcheon City Council

◆ Exploring Ways to Expand Cultural Spaces and Strengthen Industrial Complex Competitiveness

Regarding the construction of the Culture and Arts Center, Assemblyman Lee Youngwoo pointed out, “The current Citizens’ Hall has 800 seats, and even the new building is planned for only 1,000 seats, which limits the ability to attract large-scale performances.” He emphasized, “Even if the capacity is expanded to 1,500 seats, the difference in operating costs would not be significant, so it should be built to accommodate large performances and provide citizens with opportunities to enjoy high-quality cultural experiences.”

On the development of the Kumho General Industrial Complex, Assemblyman Kim Sangho stated, “While the development of the industrial complex will contribute to revitalizing the local economy, there is a lack of consideration for measures to address the potential harm to existing residents of the industrial district.” He urged the administration to adopt a citizen-centered approach.

Assemblyman Kwon Gihan suggested, “Given the current economic downturn, we need to attract companies to move in by setting aggressive sales prices and other strategic responses, thereby securing tax revenue and establishing a foundation for local economic revitalization.”

◆ Emphasizing Administrative Credibility and Rational Budget Management Principles

There was also criticism regarding responsible implementation of local development projects and the appropriateness of budget allocation.

Assemblyman Ha Gitae, referring to the Yasaji District land readjustment project, said, “The opening of the mid-sized road (from Yeongdong High School to behind Hanshin Apartments) within the Yasa residential district, which was promised during last year’s work report, has been delayed until now, causing inconvenience for residents. Since this is a promise made to the residents, please ensure the road is opened as soon as possible, and in future reports to the council, present carefully considered and feasible plans.”

On this day, Assemblyman Lee Gapgyun especially questioned the reason why the council had no choice but to cut 1.1 billion won from the budget during the third supplementary budget review, criticizing contradictions in the executive branch’s budget allocation regarding the construction of public parking lots.

He pointed out, “At that time, the executive branch cited reasons such as alleviating parking shortages following the opening of the National Sports Center and the construction of the Dongbudong Administrative Welfare Center, but the planned site is actually quite far from these facilities, making the project ineffective.”

He added, “There are many places in Yeongcheon where the construction of public parking lots is urgently needed, but reallocating the previously cut budget under a different name in this first supplementary budget, without considering the order of project priorities, undermines administrative credibility. The practice of allocating budgets without consistent principles, depending on the needs of the executive branch at the time, must be corrected.”

Chairman Kim Seontae stated, “Today’s meeting was a time for the council to raise sharp points and present constructive alternatives on city issues that reflect citizens’ concerns and expectations. I urge the executive branch to humbly accept the criticism raised by the council, restore trust in administration, and ensure that all projects are carried out in line with citizens’ common sense and principles.”