Hong Nampyo, Changwon Special Mayor, Struggles to Secure National Budget for Next Year

Ruling and Opposition Budget Committee Members Meet, Busy Efforts to Secure Next Year's National Budget

Emphasizing the Need to Foster Future Industries for Building an Innovative Growth Economic Foundation

Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam, visited the National Assembly again on the 14th to make a final push to secure national funding for major projects next year.

Mayor Hong's visit came as the National Assembly's review of the government budget bill began in earnest, reflecting his determination to secure as many project budgets as possible during the budget review. He met sequentially with Yoon Jaeok, Floor Leader of the People Power Party; Yoo Eui-dong, Chairman of the Policy Committee of the People Power Party; Kim Heegon, member of the Budget and Accounts Subcommittee; and Kim Jeongjae, Seo Iljun, and Yang Hyangja, members of the Budget Committee, to repeatedly request securing next year’s government budget for key projects. He also held a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Economy and Finance to build consensus on the necessity of the projects and to request cooperation in reflecting them in the government budget.

Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, is meeting with Yoon Jaeok, Floor Leader of the People Power Party.

The major projects proposed on the day included: ▲ Establishment of the Changwon National Industrial Complex Future 50-Year Manufacturing Digital Transformation (DX) Support Center with 13 billion KRW (total project cost 48 billion KRW); ▲ Development project for a dual-use civilian-military hydrogen-based powertrain (hydrogen powertrain) with 500 million KRW (total project cost 250.5 billion KRW); ▲ Establishment of an AI and big data-based advanced medical and bio device research and manufacturing center with 3.4 billion KRW (total project cost 25.7 billion KRW); ▲ Construction of an advanced complex beam irradiation facility with 3 billion KRW (total project cost 450 billion KRW); ▲ Development of enterprise occupancy space in the Changwon Small Giant Special Zone with 22.3 billion KRW (total project cost 44.5 billion KRW); ▲ Gyeongnam Innovation Academy project with 1 billion KRW (total project cost 39.8 billion KRW); ▲ Marine leisure tourism hub public contest project with 1 billion KRW (total project cost 43 billion KRW); ▲ Construction of the Masanhang waterfront marine leisure experience center with 700 million KRW (total project cost 13.3 billion KRW); ▲ Establishment of a clean seawater system for safe seafood supply with 1.4 billion KRW (total project cost 15.8 billion KRW); ▲ Creation of the Jinhae modern historical and cultural space project with 2.9 billion KRW (total project cost 50 billion KRW); ▲ Green rainwater infrastructure project in the Masan stadium area with 150 million KRW (total project cost 4 billion KRW); ▲ Establishment of a defense parts research institute with 540 million KRW (total project cost undecided).

Mayor Hong said, “The establishment of the Changwon National Industrial Complex Future 50-Year Manufacturing Digital Transformation (DX) Support Center will serve as a catalyst to promote the practical nurturing of smart factories and lead the future 50 years of South Korea’s manufacturing industry,” and requested, “Please pay attention to and discuss this during the National Assembly’s budget review process.”

He also requested active support at the National Assembly level for projects aimed at diversifying Changwon’s industrial structure, including the dual-use civilian-military hydrogen-based powertrain development project, the next-generation complex beam irradiation facility construction, and the establishment of the defense parts research institute.

Until now, Mayor Hong has frequently visited the Ministry of Economy and Finance and central government departments to continuously request support for the city’s major projects. On the 1st, he met with Seo Samsuk, Chairman of the Budget and Accounts Committee, to explain key pending projects and request interest and cooperation, proactively responding to the National Assembly’s budget review. He also held a meeting inviting local lawmakers in the first half of the year to jointly prepare countermeasures for securing national funding.

Mayor Hong stated, “Since national funding projects serve as a catalyst for regional development and economic revitalization, I have persuasively explained the necessity of the projects to ensure they are reflected in next year’s government budget,” and added, “I will do my utmost to secure as much national funding as possible until the moment the government budget bill is finalized.”

Changwon City plans to carry out final national funding securing activities by department and division for each project until December 2, the legal deadline when the government budget bill is finally approved in the National Assembly, and will respond with full force to secure national funding by coordinating with local lawmakers during the Budget and Accounts Committee’s review period.

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