Nowon-gu Confirms 2021 Budget of 1.0315 Trillion Won... Health Welfare and Local Economy Revitalization

Next Year's Budget Confirmed at 10.315 Trillion Won, Up 59.9 Billion Won (6.17%) from This Year... Social Welfare Sector 6.357 Trillion Won, Accounting for 61.6% of Total Budget... Focus on Expanding Community Sports Facilities, Creating Healing Spaces, Job Support, and Revitalizing Local Economy

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Nowon-gu (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that the main budget for next year, totaling 1.0315 trillion won, was finalized on the 21st after review and approval by the district council.

The general account is 1.0125 trillion won, and the special account is 19 billion won, with the general account increasing by 58.1 billion won (6.09%) and the special account by 1.7 billion won (10.26%) compared to this year.

The 2021 budget was prepared focusing on revitalizing the local economy, including health and welfare, healing sectors, and job support, in preparation for the post-COVID-19 era.

Among the total budget size, the social welfare sector accounts for the largest portion at 61.6%, or 635.6 billion won, an increase of 42.3 billion won compared to 2020. It includes 148.5 billion won for basic living security, 76.5 billion won for vulnerable group support, and 155.2 billion won for childcare, family, and women’s sectors.

Additionally, emphasis is placed on expanding various youth facilities such as building the 2nd Senior Welfare Center to meet diverse welfare needs of the elderly, constructing cultural welfare facilities in Sanggye-dong, establishing a complex children’s facility and youth culture house to foster a healthy play culture for children and adolescents, and creating youth hangouts within the Junggye Cultural Health Center.

Furthermore, 24.4 billion won is allocated to health and welfare to provide quality healthcare services, including support for postpartum mother and newborn health management for families with newborns, creating a 100-year healthy city, and expanding influenza vaccination targets.

The culture and tourism sector has been allocated 41.5 billion won, a 20.85% increase from this year. Projects include the development of Suraksan Sports Town, construction of the Gongneung-dong Community Sports Center, infrastructure projects for sports facilities by region, and active efforts to create cultural enjoyment facilities such as the Junggye Cultural Health Center and the Gyeongchun Line Forest Trail Hwarangdae Railroad Park.

In the environmental sector, 47 billion won has been allocated to support environmental projects such as food waste and household waste treatment and resource recycling promotion. Plans include expanding convenience facilities such as Suraksan Natural Recreation Forest and circular walking trails, restrooms along the Suraksan and Bulam Mountain trails, and creating gardens in neighborhood parks and apartment complexes to foster an environment for relaxation in nature.

The industrial and small and medium enterprise sector has been allocated 4.3 billion won to establish a dedicated agency for senior jobs and to promote customized job support projects such as startup events for youth employment. Efforts will also be made to revitalize the local economy through projects like constructing the Gongneung-dong Dokkaebi Market Customer Support Center and supporting special credit guarantee loans for small business owners.

The general public administration and safety sector has been allocated 44.4 billion won. This includes 5 billion won in contributions between local governments due to the relocation of the Dobong Driver’s License Test Center and reflects transfers to the disaster management fund for various disaster preparedness measures.

Additionally, 9.8 billion won has been set aside as a contingency fund to thoroughly prepare for COVID-19 and other disasters.

The education sector has been allocated 23.7 billion won to support healthy growth of students through projects such as matching funds for middle and high school entrance preparation and eco-friendly free meals, and to expand lifelong learning opportunities for residents by budgeting for school-community cooperation support projects and the establishment of the Wolgye Lifelong Education Center.

District Mayor Oh Seung-rok stated, “Although the 2021 budget size has increased compared to this year, the expansion of budgets in disaster and safety sectors due to COVID-19, increased matching project costs and essential expenses in welfare projects mean that actual available resources are very limited. We will do our best to rationally allocate limited resources and maximize spending efficiency to build a foundation for residents’ happiness in daily life and future growth.”

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