The Critical Battle for Securing Ulsan's National Budget Has Begun

Ulsan City Launches Comprehensive Activities Ahead of Ministry of Economy and Finance Review

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] The ‘life-or-death’ battle of Ulsan City to secure the national budget has begun.

On the 12th, Ulsan City announced that with the 2021 national budget draft finalized and moving into the Ministry of Strategy and Finance’s government proposal review stage, it has launched full-scale activities to secure next year’s national budget.

Although there were many restrictions on securing national funds due to the impact of COVID-19, Mayor Song Cheol-ho, along with the vice mayor and heads of departments and bureaus, meticulously managed key core projects and conducted behind-the-scenes activities targeting central government ministries by utilizing online briefings and accumulated personal networks.

Recently, as the COVID-19 situation has shown signs of stabilization, they have visited central government ministries multiple times to explain Ulsan’s difficult conditions and appeal for national-level support for Ulsan’s re-advancement.

The city expects significant results. It has been confirmed that most of the region’s core projects have been reflected in the ministries’ budgets.

First, all 7Bridge projects, including the outer ring road, specialized public hospital for industrial accidents, and national road construction between Nongsu and Oedong, have been included, and are expected to accelerate from next year.

Various national projects related to hydrogen industry development, such as the Ulsan Hydrogen Green Mobility Regulatory Free Zone support project, hydrogen pilot city creation, and hydrogen and electric vehicle parts certification center, have also been included, which is expected to give momentum to building infrastructure for becoming the world’s top hydrogen city by 2030.

New industries aimed at strengthening future competitiveness have also been included, such as the establishment of the 3D Printing Convergence Technology Center, the high-functionality convergence chemical materials support center, the practical platform for core parts of autonomous personal flying vehicles, and the demonstration center for cryogenic insulation systems for eco-friendly ships.

Safety and environmental enhancement projects such as the integrated pipe rack construction in the Ulsan petrochemical complex, the Ulju radiation disaster prevention command center construction, disaster-safe port construction, and the reconstruction project of Seongam incineration plant, as well as large-scale social overhead capital (SOC) projects like the Cheongnyang-Okdong gap connection work, the double-track electrification of the Donghae Nambu Line, and Ulsan New Port, have been evenly reflected.

Various local issues projects, including the government Ulsan regional joint office building, which has been promoted as a priority project since last year, the Taehwagang Garden Industry Expo, Ulju County Office complex development project, and urban regeneration New Deal projects, have also been included.

Now is the time to reap the final fruits. The city is determined to fully concentrate its administrative capabilities to ensure that the hard-won national fund achievements during the central ministry review stage are maximally reflected in the government proposal during the Ministry of Strategy and Finance’s review stage. It also plans to harvest the final results through close cooperation with the newly elected local political circles.

It will also focus all efforts on national projects linked to the Korean New Deal project, which the government is prioritizing for post-COVID-19 recovery, as well as the ‘Ulsan-type New Deal projects.’

Priority will be given to securing national funds for ‘Digital New Deal projects’ such as the establishment of a transportation big data center, support projects for the distribution and expansion of smart factories, demonstration projects for next-generation intelligent transportation systems, national infrastructure intelligent informatization projects, and AI graduate school support projects; and ‘Green New Deal projects’ such as the creation of urban forests to reduce fine dust, support for the development of solar hydrogen on-site production systems, support for the commercialization of smart marine buoy manufacturing demonstration, and development of mixed fuel technology for eco-friendly ships.

For Ulsan-type New Deal projects, full efforts will be made to secure national funds to revitalize the regional economy, including the hydrogen pilot city creation, support project for the hydrogen green mobility regulatory free zone, establishment of the hydrogen electric vehicle parts certification support center, integrated pipe rack construction in the petrochemical complex, reconstruction project of Seongam incineration plant, and construction of the Ulsan outer ring road.

In addition, with the recent designation of the Ulsan Free Economic Zone, the city has also established a strategy to discover as many future growth foundation-type national projects as possible through attracting various special zones such as the genome regulatory free zone, small and medium-sized research and development special zone, and energy industry convergence complex.

The 2021 national budget is scheduled to be finalized by December 2 after the Ministry of Strategy and Finance’s review by the end of August, submission of the government proposal to the National Assembly by September 3, and the National Assembly’s review and resolution.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.