Measures to Address Illegal Execution of Budget for Expanding Public and National Childcare Centers in Seocho-gu

Seoul City Councilor Kim Kyung-young Emphasizes Need for Seocho-gu's Responsible Response to Illegal Subsidy Execution, Receives Report on Seoul City's Ongoing Measures

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Kim Kyung-young, a member of the Health and Welfare Committee of the Seoul Metropolitan Council (Democratic Party of Korea, Seocho District Constituency 2), received an interim report on the countermeasures and improvement plans being promoted by Seoul City regarding the "illegal execution of the national and public daycare center expansion budget," which was pointed out as an unprecedented incident in Seocho District, at the council member’s research office on the 18th.

Earlier this month, Assemblyman Kim Kyung-young pointed out the illegal execution of the national and public daycare center expansion budget by Seocho District during the Women and Family Policy Office business report at the 299th extraordinary session of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, urging Seoul City to prepare countermeasures and conduct thorough management supervision.

Seocho District, despite carrying over 5 billion KRW allocated in 2018 for the expansion of national and public daycare centers to 2019, failed to execute the budget. According to relevant laws, the unused budget should have been returned to Seoul City, but after falsely reporting that the entire budget had been executed to Seoul City, it was deposited as 'non-tax revenue cash' through its own internal policy and was found to have executed the 2020 budget accordingly.

In response, Seoul City immediately conducted an audit of Seocho District and reported that to prevent such false execution incidents, it will promote thorough management of the national and public daycare center expansion project by ▲strengthening internal regulations on the Ministry of Health and Welfare guidelines ▲focusing on feasibility review during the operation of the review committee ▲securing architectural experts ▲making supporting documents mandatory during subsidy settlement and improving the computerized system.

Assemblyman Kim Kyung-young said, “Seocho District’s illegal execution has destroyed the trust relationship painstakingly built between Seoul City and autonomous districts in promoting the national and public daycare center expansion project aimed at establishing a public care system and enhancing the quality of childcare services,” adding, “Seocho District must deeply acknowledge its responsibility for the situation where all autonomous districts and Seoul City, which have legally promoted the project, suffer damages, and must be vigilant against illegal execution.”

He also said, “The efforts of Seoul City, which has sincerely worked through active project promotion to strengthen public childcare, are fully recognized,” and urged special caution so that the strengthening of management regulations and system improvements by Seoul City do not inadvertently become obstacles to the national and public daycare center expansion project due to increased workload.

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