Jeollanam-do Front-Loads Extra Budget for Livelihoods and Economy...67.82 Billion Won Increase

Total Budget of 13.3805 Trillion Won
Focused on Economic Recovery and Overcoming the Population Crisis

Exterior view of Jeonnam Provincial Office

Jeollanam-do has drawn up its first supplementary budget proposal for 2026 and submitted it to the Jeollanam-do Provincial Council. The aim is to reinvigorate the regional economy, which has been dampened by high prices and sluggish domestic demand, to overcome the population crisis and low birth rate, and to ensure the successful hosting of the Yeosu World Island Expo 2026.

The supplementary budget proposal amounts to 13.3805 trillion won, an increase of 678.2 billion won (5.3%) from the original budget of 12.7023 trillion won. The general account reflects 11.1032 trillion won, up 644.5 billion won (6.2%); the special accounts reflect 1.2492 trillion won, up 13.7 billion won (1.1%); and the funds reflect 1.0281 trillion won, up 20 billion won (2.0%).

Even under difficult fiscal conditions, Jeollanam-do has focused on resolving livelihood issues directly linked to residents' lives and on securing future growth engines. Key priorities include restoring people’s livelihoods and regional growth, fostering AI and high-tech industries, responding to population decline and the low birth rate, successfully hosting the Yeosu World Island Expo 2026, and improving safety and residential conditions.

To revive stagnant neighborhood commercial districts and stimulate local consumption, the province has added 65.8 billion won (up from the initial 5 billion won) to the “Local Love Gift Certificate Issuance Support Project.”

It has also increased the “Interest Support Project for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Small Business Owners” to 6.3 billion won (up from the initial 15.5 billion won) to help ease interest burdens for small and medium-sized enterprises and small business owners facing management difficulties due to prolonged high interest rates.

The “Investment Company Support Project,” designed to promote corporate investment attraction, has been expanded to 5.9 billion won (up from the initial 4.9 billion won), and 300 million won (up from the initial 2.4 billion won) has been added to the “Youth Startup Academy Operation Project” to foster ventures and startups.

To stabilize the management of the agriculture, fisheries, and livestock industries, which form the backbone of the Jeollanam-do economy, the province has allocated 11.4 billion won for “Rice Farming Management Stabilization Measures” to supplement the income of rice-growing households, and newly budgeted 500 million won for the “Expanded Guarantee Support Project for Small-Scale Low-Income Abalone Aquaculture Fishers,” among others.

The province has also stepped up support for AI and high-tech sectors to drive a major transformation of the future industrial structure.

It will newly invest 10.6 billion won in the “Region-Led AI Transformation Project” to support the use and spread of AI among local small and medium-sized enterprises, and has newly budgeted 8.5 billion won for the “Agricultural AX Innovation Infrastructure Creation Project,” which includes building an agricultural global business center and demonstration and big data centers.

Strategic investment will also be made to overcome the crisis of local extinction and the demographic cliff. To sustain the vitality of rural and fishing communities and attract new residents, the province has additionally reflected 36.7 billion won (up from the initial 41.6 billion won) for the “Basic Income Pilot Project for Rural and Fishing Villages,” and expanded the “Jeonnam-Type Ten-Thousand-Won Housing Project” to 5 billion won (up from the initial 10 billion won) to support housing stability and settlement for newlyweds and young people.

To support youth independence and job-seeking activities, 800 million won has been newly allocated to the “Youth Center and Youth Village Revitalization Project,” and 2.7 billion won (up from the initial 12.4 billion won) has been added to the “Jeonnam Youth Vision Center Construction Project” to establish an integrated support system for young people.

In addition, to help foreign residents settle stably, the province has increased the budget for the “Jeonnam Immigration and Foreign Residents Comprehensive Support Center Operation Project” to 200 million won (up from the initial 800 million won), and newly allocated 100 million won for the “Korean Language Learning Center Operation Project” for foreigners.

The province is also working to create an environment conducive to having and raising children. It will provide an additional 1 billion won (up from the initial 2.1 billion won) for the “Infertility Treatment Cost Support Project” to ease the financial burden on couples struggling with infertility, and has increased the “Jeonnam-Type 24-Hour Childcare Center Operation Project” to 60 million won (up from the initial 90 million won) to reduce parents’ childcare burden.

This year, Jeollanam-do will increase support by 2.2 billion won to ensure the successful hosting of the “Yeosu World Island Expo 2026,” which is expected to enhance Jeonnam’s international stature.

It has newly allocated 120 million won for “Pre-Expo Boom-Up Events” and 100 million won for “Operation of the Jeonnam Promotion Hall” to build momentum for the expo, and has included 500 million won for the “Half-Price Island Travel Support Project” and 300 million won (up from the initial 500 million won) for the “Half-Price Passenger Ship Fare Support Project” to attract tourists.

The province will also focus on expanding expo infrastructure and strengthening safety facilities. It plans to invest 300 million won (up from the initial 1.2 billion won) in the “Landmark Creation Project” and 730 million won in “Facility Safety Management and Road Maintenance Projects,” among others, to ensure safe and well-organized event operations.

Investment will continue to build Jeollanam-do into a global cultural and tourism attraction city. The “Southern Region Wide-Area Tourism Development Project,” which creates a stay-type tourism base by utilizing natural scenic resources such as islands and mudflats, has been increased to 9.4 billion won (up from the initial 71.9 billion won), and an additional 12 billion won (up from the initial 35.6 billion won) has been allocated to the “National Heritage Repair and Maintenance Project” to preserve and utilize the original form of national heritage.

To secure the sustainability of the “Suncheon K-Disney Project,” which aims to build a world-class animation culture city, and to stabilize relocated companies, the province will newly invest 500 million won in the “Suncheon Cultural Content Fund No. 3,” and has newly budgeted 700 million won for the “K-Art Youth Creators Support Project” to back creative activities by young artists.

To cultivate talent tailored to regional industry demand, the province has allocated 9.4 billion won (up from the initial 66.7 billion won) to the “Regionally Innovative University Support System (RISE) Project” and 4 billion won (up from the initial 21 billion won) to the “Glocal University Intensive Fostering Support Project,” and has expanded the “Operating Expenses Following the Integration of Mokpo National University and the Provincial University, and of Mokpo National University and Suncheon National University” to 4 billion won to support the stable integration of local universities.

To support healing and the return to everyday life for victims and bereaved families who suffered psychological and physical harm from state violence, including the Yeosu-Suncheon Incident, the province will newly allocate 1.2 billion won for the “National Jeonnam Trauma Healing Center Operation Project” and plans to operate it on a pilot basis.

Public construction investment will also be increased to revitalize the local construction economy, which has been weakened by the slump in the construction market and rising material costs. The province has expanded the “Provincial Road Maintenance Project” to 17 billion won (up from the initial 110 billion won), the “Local River Maintenance Project” to 15 billion won (up from the initial 80 billion won), the “Natural Disaster Damage Restoration Project” to 71.3 billion won (up from the initial 9.2 billion won), and the “Natural Disaster Risk Improvement Area Maintenance Project” to 10.4 billion won (up from the initial 10.4 billion won), in order to improve transportation convenience for residents and ensure thorough disaster safety management.

Jeollanam-do Governor Kim Young-rok emphasized, "This supplementary budget focuses on resolving key issues that are directly connected to the recovery of the livelihood economy and to the future of our residents, despite the challenging fiscal situation."