The 'Angry' County Governor Holds Daily Pickets at the Assembly... Ok Yuseok, Gijang County Governor, Urges Prompt Deliberation of Urgent Supplementary Budget in Solo Protest

Second Solo Protest Begins in Front of the Main Gate of Busan Gijang County Council on the Morning of the 17th

On April 17 at 9:10 AM, Oh Gyu-seok, the head of Gijang County, is holding a solo protest in front of the Gijang County Council, urging the prompt review of the 2nd supplementary budget proposal. [Image source=Gijang County]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] “Goma haera (Stop it)! Mai neut-eot-a-iga (It's way too late).” The head of a basic local government held up a sign sharply directed at the local council over the supplementary budget proposal.

Oh Gyu-seok, Mayor of Busan’s Gijang County, staged a one-person protest urging the Gijang County Council to promptly review the 2nd supplementary budget proposal.

At 9:10 a.m. on the 17th, Mayor Oh stood firm in front of the main gate of the Gijang County Council. This was his second solo protest.

Mayor Oh said, “This supplementary budget proposal includes urgent livelihood projects that must protect the safety and lives of residents, reflecting voices from the field,” adding, “While other local governments are struggling due to lack of budget, fortunately Gijang County has supplementary budget resources,” and demanded the funds be quickly released.

He reiterated, “The correct fiscal execution is not to idly keep the budget locked away in the treasury but to immediately allocate and execute it as project funds. Livelihood projects are urgent down to every minute and second. Please review the 2nd supplementary budget proposal immediately at the April extraordinary session,” raising his voice.

Earlier, on the 9th, Gijang County prepared a 25.2 billion KRW 2nd supplementary budget proposal and submitted it to the Gijang County Council for review at the April extraordinary session.

However, on the 15th, the Gijang County Council decided not to review the supplementary budget proposal as an agenda item at the 257th extraordinary session.

The mayor was ‘angered’ by this. Since the 16th, Mayor Oh has started a one-person protest. He plans to continue the solo protest daily, including weekends, until the Gijang County Council accepts the review of the supplementary budget proposal.

Gijang County is very perplexed by the council’s immovability, emphasizing that the 2nd supplementary budget focuses on urgent allocations for overcoming the economic crisis and responding to COVID-19.

The Gijang County supplementary budget includes 760 million KRW for COVID-19 response, such as △living expense support for COVID-19 quarantined individuals (500 million KRW), △vaccine inoculation projects (200 million KRW), among others.

Additionally, local priority projects include △construction of the Gijang Bit·Mul·Kkum Comprehensive Social Welfare Center (6 billion KRW), △Ilgwangcheon Stream promenade construction (1 billion KRW), △opening of Jang-an Wolnae Village district unit plan road (So2-344 line) (900 million KRW), △opening of Cheolma Imgi Village district unit plan road (So1-71 line) (600 million KRW), and △upstream ecological stream maintenance project of Jwagwangcheon (450 million KRW).

Other major projects planned include costs for repair, improvement, management, and operation of facilities in Ilgwang New Town received from Busan Urban Corporation, such as △drying and maintenance project of Ilgwang New Town retention basin (2.5 billion KRW), △installation of air curtains and heated seats at Ilgwang New Town bus stops (200 million KRW), and △maintenance project of Ilgwang small stream (Samsung Stream) (1 billion KRW), totaling over 4 billion KRW.

National and city-funded projects include △urban regeneration new deal project (750 million KRW), △dredging projects for local retention ponds and streams (380 million KRW), △Busan-type integrated care pilot project (100 million KRW), and △modernization of senior citizen center facilities (100 million KRW).

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