2021 Seocho-gu Budget 746.7 Billion KRW...Welfare Expenses 313.2 Billion KRW (41.9%) Reach All-Time High

Major Sector Budget Allocation Scale
?Welfare Sector 313.2 billion KRW → Accounts for 41.95% of the Total Budget
?Transportation & Logistics 57.7 billion KRW (7.73%) ?Environment 50.0 billion KRW (6.70%)
?Land and Regional Development 41.2 billion KRW (5.52%) ?Health 22.2 billion KRW (2.97%)
?Culture and Tourism 32.9 billion KRW (4.41%) ?Education 17.5 billion KRW (2.35%)

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Seocho-gu (Mayor Eunhee Jo) announced that the 2021 budget proposal has been finalized at 746.7 billion KRW, the largest ever, increasing by 48 billion KRW (6.87%) compared to this year after review by the district council.

Of the total 746.7 billion KRW, the general account is 699.7 billion KRW (an increase of 50 billion KRW or 7.69% from the previous year), and the special account is 47 billion KRW (a decrease of 2 billion KRW or 4.07% from the previous year).

The reason the district expanded next year’s budget to the largest scale ever is to overcome the COVID-19 crisis, lead the post-COVID-19 era, and improve the local economy by overcoming prolonged economic recession and job losses, in line with the government and Seoul City’s largest-ever expenditure budgets.

In particular, the 2021 budget focuses on significantly expanding resident-centered projects and establishing a community foundation with stability and efficiency.

The budget size by sector is as follows: welfare sector at 313.2 billion KRW accounting for 41.95% of the total budget; transportation and logistics 57.7 billion KRW (7.73%); environment 50 billion KRW (6.70%); general public administration 41.3 billion KRW (5.53%); land and regional development 41.2 billion KRW (5.52%); culture and tourism 32.9 billion KRW (4.41%); health 22.2 billion KRW (2.97%); education 17.5 billion KRW (2.35%); public order and safety 9.3 billion KRW (1.25%); agriculture, forestry, marine and fisheries 2.6 billion KRW (0.35%); industry, small and medium enterprises and energy 2.1 billion KRW (0.27%); contingency funds 13.1 billion KRW (1.75%); and others 143.6 billion KRW (19.22%).

◇ Seocho Sharing Together for Those in Need

Especially, this year’s welfare budget allocation, which carries warmth, will be further strengthened. The district has consistently promoted policies that care for neighbors and share difficulties.

Plans include reinforcing the Seocho Early Baby project that supports early intervention and treatment for infants at risk of disability, establishing and operating a lifelong education center for adults with developmental disabilities after school age, and the ‘Seoripul Saem’ project that provides one-on-one customized education for students needing care to reduce learning gaps.

The Smart Senior project for elderly people living in the information age will continue. By expanding practical education courses such as smartphone apps, kiosks, and SNS usage, the district will provide digital literacy education to prevent seniors from being excluded in the digital era. Budgets will also be applied in various fields such as job opportunities by disability type and animal welfare projects, demonstrating the image of ‘Seocho Sharing Together.’

◇ Seocho Caring for Residents’ Daily Lives by Providing Small but Certain Happiness

As in the previous year, 2021 will also promote various life-centered projects that directly help residents’ daily lives.

First, the district will focus on expanding public daycare centers and improving daycare environments, while investing in preventing solitary deaths, home security, caregiving, and psychological counseling for single-person households.

Additionally, the district carefully manages facilities frequently used by residents by allocating budgets for the construction of Bangbae Forest Library, Banpo Sports Complex multi-sports facilities, expansion of public parking lots, installation of Seoripul pavilions and Seoripul igloos, and the ondol chair project.

◇ Safe City Seocho Protecting Residents’ Lives and Property

The district will expand safety infrastructure directly related to residents’ lives. It plans to install ‘runway-type crosswalks’ which received high public approval, improve traffic safety facilities focusing on pedestrian and child traffic safety, and enhance lighting environments in residential areas and main streets to create safe and clean Seocho streets.

Also, budgets are allocated for green new deal projects to prepare for abnormal climate changes such as heatwaves and fine dust, establishing support systems for air pollution reduction measures, and creating Smart Green Seocho, responding swiftly to worsening environmental issues and creating a safe Seocho-gu free from various environmental pollutants.

Furthermore, to prevent crimes targeting vulnerable groups such as women and children, the district will invest in installing Seocho-type safety CCTV, building AI-based preemptive response systems for incidents and accidents, crime prevention for single-person households, and women’s safe return home scout programs to create a safe Seocho where residents can live with peace of mind.

◇ Seocho Moving Toward the Future Preparing for 100 Years

The city changes and develops along its roads. Accordingly, next year, the district will create a pleasant street environment through partial undergrounding of Gangnam-daero and improving the appearance of above-ground distribution equipment (distribution boxes).

Also, the district plans to establish the Seocho Butterfly Plan including the Gyeongbu arterial road three-dimensional project, Seocho Town complex development project, urban space value enhancement, life-centered and resident-friendly design projects, creating a beautiful urban design for Seocho’s future.

Along with urban changes, people create these changes. To address the national task of increasing birth rates, the district has allocated budgets for childbirth incentive payments, expanded operation of Seocho Care Center, paternity leave incentives, home childcare allowances, child allowances, and Seocho child and grandchild care projects to create a childcare-friendly city where it is good to have and raise children.

Following childcare, the district strengthens investments in education and people by supporting various educational expenses from elementary to high school and lifelong education for growing students in Seocho-gu.

Above all, budgets are allocated for talent development programs leading the 4th industrial revolution era, such as Seocho AI College, Robot Coding College, data labeling professional training, and game programmer college operations.

◇ Seocho Leading the Post-COVID-19 Era by Overcoming the COVID Crisis

Seocho-gu has prepared to quickly contain and heal the COVID-19 crisis above all else. It will continue upgrading the screening clinics, which are among the best nationwide, enhance epidemiological investigation capabilities to swiftly block COVID-19 spread, and lead efforts to revitalize the local economy through support for small business owners and alleyway commercial districts, support for health examination certificate issuance fee differences, operation of Seocho Love Gift Certificates, local job creation support projects, and public work projects.

The district plans to thoroughly prepare within the year for budget allocation and execution plans so that the budget can be promptly spent for residents immediately after the start of the 2021 fiscal year.

Seocho-gu Mayor Eunhee Jo stated, “The budget prepared with residents’ precious taxes will be prioritized in safety and welfare sectors closely related to residents’ daily lives, and we will manage the budget frugally for the residents.”

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