Seoul Jung-gu Allocates 576.4 Billion Won Budget for Next Year...General Account Decreases by 300 Million Won Compared to This Year

Published 13 Nov.2023 07:35(KST)

Budget of 576.4 billion KRW for 2024, to be finalized after plenary session approval in December... Budget includes expansion of senior jobs and national merit honor allowance recipients... Investment in future projects such as support for vulnerable groups and childcare despite difficult financial conditions

Seoul Jung-gu Allocates 576.4 Billion Won Budget for Next Year...General Account Decreases by 300 Million Won Compared to This Year

Jung-gu, Seoul (Mayor Kim Gil-seong) has prepared a budget of 576.4 billion KRW for the next year and submitted it to the Jung-gu Council on the 9th. This represents an increase of 770 million KRW, or 0.13%, compared to this year's main budget.

Of this, the general account is 524.8 billion KRW, a decrease of 300 million KRW from the previous year, while the special account increased by 1.07 billion KRW to 51.6 billion KRW.

The decrease in the general account budget compared to the previous year is expected due to a decline in the district's own revenue and government and Seoul city grants, caused by worsening domestic and external economic conditions and a downturn in the real estate market.

Considering the difficult financial situation, the district focused on 'selection and concentration' for projects closely related to residents' lives and essential projects for the region. In particular, it carefully allocated resources in a balanced manner to essential projects for realizing "Always a Reliable Ally, Jung-gu," such as support for the vulnerable, future-oriented investments, revitalization of the local economy, safety and community harmony, and urban redevelopment.

The main points of the 2024 budget are as follows.

Focused allocation in welfare and health sectors to improve residents' quality of life

Support for vulnerable groups hit hard by economic crises such as economic contraction and high inflation will be further strengthened.

The welfare and health budget was set at 175 billion KRW, an 11% increase from 157.3 billion KRW this year. Allocations include basic pensions (52.8 billion KRW), livelihood and housing benefits (37.5 billion KRW), Senior Nutrition Plus project (17.5 billion KRW), disability activity support benefits (8.3 billion KRW), senior transportation support (5.2 billion KRW), Jung-gu Health Mileage operation (240 million KRW), and home health care for vulnerable groups (150 million KRW), all aimed at ensuring a dignified life.

For 586 national veterans in the district who were eligible for Seoul City's veterans honor allowance but did not receive Jung-gu's veterans honor allowance, an additional 490 million KRW was allocated to provide a monthly veterans honor allowance of 70,000 KRW, totaling 1 billion KRW.

Investment in the future from childbirth to care and education

Significant investment was made in the future of children who will lead Jung-gu, with a total of 71.3 billion KRW allocated from childbirth to care and education.

Key projects include childbirth and childcare support fund (1.9 billion KRW), child care support (1.6 billion KRW), postpartum care cost support (600 million KRW), local school education programs and school environment improvements (3.2 billion KRW), after-school activity program support (2.8 billion KRW), Jung-gu All Children Care providing quality public care inside and outside schools (5.6 billion KRW), eco-friendly school meal support (3 billion KRW), Jung-gu Youth Center operation (2 billion KRW), and Jung-gu Education Support Center operation (780 million KRW).

Strengthening job skills, expanding employment, and revitalizing the local economy

The district did not ease efforts in job creation projects.

A total of 16.1 billion KRW was allocated for new job discovery and linkage in tourism, hotel, and fashion sectors (50 million KRW), expansion of senior jobs (11.6 billion KRW), companion job projects (2.9 billion KRW), and operation of the Senior Club, a dedicated agency for senior jobs (340 million KRW).

To support the revitalization of traditional markets and strengthen the competitiveness of local commercial districts, 5.86 billion KRW was allocated. Detailed items include issuance of mobile Seoul Jung-gu Love Gift Certificates (1.6 billion KRW), support for modernization of traditional market facilities (1.1 billion KRW), support for fashion and sewing industry revitalization (900 million KRW), creation of urban industry revitalization streets (240 million KRW), and new projects such as management consulting and facility improvement support for small business owners (70 million KRW).

Careful budgeting for safety and resident communication and harmony

A total of 12.9 billion KRW was invested in public order and safety sectors directly related to residents' lives. This includes disaster prevention and emergency restoration works (4.1 billion KRW), underground utility projects (390 million KRW), support for autonomous crime prevention patrol activities (180 million KRW), flood and wind damage insurance premium support to strengthen residents' property safety nets (100 million KRW), residents' life safety insurance covering all Jung-gu residents (80 million KRW), and residents' bicycle insurance (50 million KRW), aiming to ensure safety in daily life more meticulously.

Communication and harmony capabilities to unite 120,000 residents are considered an important competitive advantage of Jung-gu, and related projects were also reflected in the budget.

These include Jeongdong Night Tour (360 million KRW), support for revitalizing village festivals (60 million KRW), promotion of community sports (1.1 billion KRW), enhancement of Jung-gu mobile civil service functions applying AI technology (86 million KRW), establishment of a new 'Video Production Support Center' where residents can shoot, edit, and produce videos themselves (180 million KRW), production of district government content for residents' right to know (820 million KRW), and resident participation budget (570 million KRW) where residents directly propose and influence policies.

Continued urban regeneration projects and enhanced customized services for complex urban planning information

Urban redevelopment and reconstruction projects in underdeveloped areas will continue next year.

Budget was allocated for the establishment of redevelopment maintenance plans and designation of maintenance districts in the Ojang-dong area (450 million KRW), district unit planning for Myeong-dong Tourism Special Zone (160 million KRW) and Dongdaemun History & Culture Park area (220 million KRW), continuing from this year. Support for apartment management to improve safety of aging and small-scale multi-family housing was expanded to 1.1 billion KRW. The highly popular 'Maintenance Project Academy and Resident Public Forum' (57 million KRW) will also continue.

Additionally, 500 million KRW was allocated for developing a service that provides customized urban planning information for 'my home,' 170 million KRW for pre-inspection and quality inspection team operation for residential officetels, and 300 million KRW newly allocated for the 'My Home Design Expert Preliminary Review Service' project supporting initial planning design costs for landowners after the relaxation of Namsan height restrictions. In total, 2.4 billion KRW was allocated to the urban sector to actively support residents' residential environment improvement.

Kim Gil-seong, Mayor of Jung-gu, said, "2024 is an important time to actively promote key core projects, but we have struggled with securing resources due to decreased tax revenue." He added, "Once the main budget passes the district council's review, we will do our best to achieve the best results within the given budget."