Gwangju Mayor Lee Yong-seop Hustles to Resolve Issues and Secure National Funding

Proposals for 5·18 Special Act Amendment and Military Airport Relocation at Regional Lawmakers' Budget Policy Meeting

Request for 24 National Funding Items Totaling 168.6 Billion Won Including Gwangju Model Job Workers' Housing Support

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City held a budget policy meeting on the 28th in Yeouido, Seoul, with Gwangju-area members of the National Assembly, requesting their active support and cooperation to address pressing regional issues and secure next year’s national budget.

At the meeting, Mayor Lee Yong-seop and eight Democratic Party members of the National Assembly representing Gwangju?Yoon Young-duk, Lee Byung-hoon, Song Gap-seok, Yang Hyang-ja, Jo Oh-seop, Lee Hyung-seok, Lee Yong-bin, and Min Hyung-bae?along with Kwon Eun-hee of the People’s Party and Kang Eun-mi of the Justice Party, totaling ten lawmakers based in Gwangju, gathered to unite efforts for regional urgent matters and national budget acquisition.

This budget policy meeting was organized to request national budget support for eight key Gwangju issues, including the revision of the May 18 Special Act, and 24 items requiring new or increased funding in parliamentary standing committees and the Budget and Accounts Committee, covering culture, economy, and R&D projects.

The city detailed eight major regional issues: ▲ Revision of the Special Act on the May 18 Democratic Movement, ▲ Passage of the Special Act on Military Airport Relocation (draft) in the National Assembly, ▲ Enhancing the effectiveness of the Asia Culture Centered City project, ▲ Establishment of a Special Act (draft) for AI industry promotion and data processing, ▲ Promotion of the establishment of Gwangju Medical Center, ▲ Construction of the National Trauma Healing Center, ▲ Establishment of the Korea Culture Technology (CT) Institute in Gwangju, and ▲ Corporate tax reductions for advanced technology/products and key industries in the Free Economic Zone, requesting active cooperation.

Additionally, as parliamentary deliberations on next year’s national budget projects begin, the city proposed an additional and increased budget of 168.6 billion KRW for 24 projects, including ▲ Housing support for Gwangju-type job workers, ▲ Eco-friendly air industry, ▲ Creation of Gwangju Green Startup Town, ▲ RE100 implementation energy AI integrated control system project, ▲ Data-based digital fair green manufacturing platform construction, ▲ AI learning dataset development project, ▲ Establishment of an Asian arts talent training hub, and ▲ Expansion of the Gwangju Hanam?Jangseong Samgye metropolitan road.

Mayor Lee Yong-seop stated, “Our city is pouring all hopes into ensuring that the Special Act on Punishment and Truth Investigation of May 18 Historical Distortion and the Special Act on Military Airport Relocation and Support are passed in this National Assembly session,” and added, “I ask the regional members of the National Assembly to actively assist.”

He also said, “Since our city’s finances are weak, securing the national budget is very important. I request active efforts to secure next year’s budget so that we can fully promote the AI digital new deal, carbon-neutral green new deal, and the win-win human new deal,” adding, “The full support of regional lawmakers is necessary for Gwangju’s development, and I hope they will continuously strengthen efforts for regional issues and budget acquisition.”

In response, the regional lawmakers promised to play an active role alongside Gwangju City in preparing the legal basis for resolving regional issues and securing next year’s national budget to promote Gwangju’s development.

Previously, on the 27th, a budget policy consultation meeting was held with the People Power Party to request support and cooperation for resolving key regional issues and securing next year’s national budget.

Meanwhile, Gwangju City has established a ‘National Budget Acquisition Situation Room’ at its Seoul headquarters, concentrating all administrative efforts by visiting parliamentary standing committee members, regional lawmakers, and Budget and Accounts Committee members to explain and seek understanding of major projects until the government budget for next year is finalized in the National Assembly.

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