Yun Byeong-tae, Mayor of Naju, Goes All Out to Secure Next Year's National Funds for Cultural Heritage Restoration

Published 19 Sep.2022 11:31(KST)

[Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong] Yoon Byung-tae, mayor of Naju City, Jeollanam-do, is focusing his efforts on securing next year's national budget to promote current projects in cultural heritage restoration and new energy industries.

According to the city on the 19th, Mayor Yoon recently met with Woo Won-shik, chairman of the National Assembly's Special Budget and Accounts Committee, to request additional national funding for regional projects that were not reflected in the 2023 government budget proposal.

At the meeting, Mayor Yoon explained the necessity of the projects ‘Restoration and Maintenance of Naju Fortress’ (total 42 billion KRW) and ‘Construction of Test Facility for Neutral Particle Negative Ion Source for Fusion Reactor Heating’ (total 46.7 billion KRW), urging for national financial support.

The restoration and maintenance of Naju Fortress is a project focused on the systematic excavation, restoration, and preservation of cultural heritage in the old downtown area to establish the historical identity of Naju, a thousand-year-old magistrate town.

The city is promoting the restoration and maintenance of five cultural heritage sites including Naju-mok Dongheon site, Geumseonggwan (Muiru), Naju Hyanggyo Confucian School, and Naju Eupseong (North Fortress Wall).

However, due to budget issues, the project has been prolonged, causing problems such as landscape degradation and inconvenience in passage, making urgent national funding necessary for prompt project advancement.

Additionally, the proposed construction of the test facility for the neutral particle negative ion source for fusion reactor heating is a project led by the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy with participation from the Korea Advanced Institute of Energy Technology, aimed at securing essential core technology for artificial sun demonstration research.

Currently, a national budget of 1.3 billion KRW has been requested for the design of the test facility.

Mayor Yoon also explained the necessity of attracting a state-of-the-art large-scale research facility, an ultra-high-power laser research facility that will support the research achievements of Korea Advanced Institute of Energy Technology, to Naju Innovation City, emphasizing its justification for balanced national development, site conditions, and requested interest and support.

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae said, “Securing national budget depends on PPT: Prepare, Passion, and Timing. I will concentrate all efforts until the national budget for these regional future growth-driving projects safely passes through the National Assembly.”