Gwanak-gu, 2021 Budget of 795.3 Billion Won Confirmed

3.87% Increase Compared to Last Year, Overcoming COVID-19 Recession and Notable Increases in Economy and Job Sectors... Active Efforts for 'Prompt Fiscal Investment' That Residents Can Feel Where Needed

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Junhee) has finalized the 2021 main budget at 795.3 billion KRW after approval by the Gwanak-gu Council.

This represents an increase of 29.66 billion KRW, or 3.87%, compared to this year, consisting of 779.45 billion KRW in the general account and 15.85 billion KRW in the special account.

The 2021 Gwanak-gu budget focuses on policies that residents can directly feel during difficult times by early recovery from the prolonged COVID-19 impact on the local economy and expanding investments in resident convenience facilities and aging infrastructure.

In the economy and jobs sector, sustainable support and vitality will be provided to struggling local commercial districts through projects such as ▲creation of representative commercial districts by residential area (1.424 billion KRW) ▲alleyway commercial district revitalization road maintenance (1.2 billion KRW) ▲Byeolbit Sinsari commercial district renaissance (961 million KRW) ▲Zero Pay and local currency operation (610 million KRW) ▲traditional market facility modernization (307 million KRW).

To foster new growth engines such as startups (ventures) in Gwanak and expand quality public jobs tailored to residents’ needs, a total of 19.1 billion KRW will be invested, a 32.4% increase from this year, including ▲operation of Venture Valley startup spaces (414 million KRW) ▲venture business promotion zone feasibility study (60 million KRW) ▲citizen safety job projects (3.764 billion KRW) ▲local quarantine job projects (868 million KRW).

To overcome the COVID-19 crisis and realize a warm Gwanak that residents can feel, a total of 440.3 billion KRW, accounting for 55.4% of the entire budget, has been allocated to welfare projects.

Major projects for protecting vulnerable groups include ▲construction of Gwanak Cultural Welfare Town (725 million KRW) ▲construction of Gwanak-gu Disabled Center (365 million KRW) ▲green remodeling of daycare centers (785 million KRW) ▲basic pension (150.852 billion KRW) ▲support for senior social activities (11.452 billion KRW), aiming to create a city where every day is happy for residents.

Including the operation of screening clinics for proactive COVID-19 response, 13.7 billion KRW has been allocated to health and hygiene, utilizing 489 million KRW from the disaster management fund to maintain thorough quarantine systems in multi-use facilities such as traditional markets, senior centers, and daycare centers, establishing a customized COVID-19 quarantine system.

Education expense support projects have been increased by 1 billion KRW from this year to 5 billion KRW, and together with Seoul City and the Education Office, 318 million KRW has been allocated for middle and high school freshmen enrollment preparation funds, expanding support by 13.3 billion KRW to reduce educational gaps and revitalize public education.

Additionally, 21.3 billion KRW has been allocated to culture and sports sectors, including operation of the Gwanak Cultural Foundation (9.195 billion KRW), establishment of the Park Jongcheol Center (950 million KRW), and operation and management of sports projects (6.831 billion KRW), providing cultural and sports services enjoyable even in the COVID era.

For creating a pleasant residential environment, 35.4 billion KRW has been allocated to cleaning and environmental sectors such as reducing household waste and food waste collection and transportation projects; 24.1 billion KRW to roads and aging sewer pipelines for proactive maintenance of urban infrastructure; and 29.2 billion KRW to regional development and transportation sectors for pedestrians and traffic-vulnerable groups, carefully managing projects necessary from the residents’ perspective.

The district will newly implement the ‘Smart City Mid- to Long-Term Master Plan Establishment’ project to create a smart urban environment that enhances residents’ lives using advanced new technologies of the 4th industrial era. It will also accelerate specialized projects such as creating a wall fountain and a starlight-themed zone in Dorimcheon, which was reborn as ’Byeolbitnaerimcheon‘ through Seoul’s first river branding this year.

Furthermore, overcoming the limitations of the district’s poor finances and striving to secure budgets for improving resident welfare, the district achieved a great success on the 7th by securing 1.1 billion KRW in special grants for three projects including the ‘Gwanak-gu Disabled Center Construction.’

Mayor Park Junhee stated, “All budgets will be thoroughly prepared in advance to be promptly invested in the right place at the right time from the residents’ perspective,” adding, “We will do our best to produce visible results that residents can feel beyond overcoming COVID-19.”

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