Gwangju Buk-gu Council Cuts Entire Budget for Overseas Training for Third Consecutive Year

Planned Utilization of Funds for Overcoming COVID-19

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yuk-bong] The Gwangju Buk-gu Council announced on the 23rd that during the 274th Buk-gu Council 2nd Regular Meeting, through deliberations by the Council Operations Committee and the Budget and Accounts Special Committee, it decided to cut the entire 70.5 million KRW budget for overseas training travel expenses from next year's main budget.

During the preliminary review by the Council Operations Committee on the 13th and the review by the Budget and Accounts Special Committee on the 22nd, the entire 70.5 million KRW budget related to overseas training, including 56 million KRW for official overseas activity travel expenses and international exchange activity travel expenses, as well as 14.5 million KRW for overseas activity execution travel expenses, was cut. The funds will be reallocated to resources for overcoming COVID-19.

This decision is to share the pain with the residents who are suffering due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, marking the third time following 2020 and 2021.

Im Jong-guk, Chairperson of the Council Operations Committee, said, "Following last year, all seven members of the Council Operations Committee unanimously decided to cut overseas training expenses to overcome COVID-19," and added, "We will continue to cooperate with the district office to do our best to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and restore the local economy."

Jeon Mi-yong, Chairperson of the Budget and Accounts Special Committee, stated, "With the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and the recent spread of the Omicron variant, the economic hardship of residents is increasing day by day. We voluntarily decided to cut the budget to help residents even a little," and expressed hope that "these funds will be usefully applied to projects aimed at revitalizing the local economy during such difficult times."

Meanwhile, the next year's main budget, with the overseas travel expenses cut, is scheduled to be finally approved at the 3rd plenary session held on the 24th.

Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yuk-bong bong2910@asiae.co.kr

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