Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok Requests National Budget from Central Ministries... Aiming for Over 6 Trillion Won for 3 Consecutive Years

Incheon City is making every effort to secure over 6 trillion won in national funds for the third consecutive year.

According to the city on the 30th, Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok visited the Government Complex Sejong the previous day and requested a total of 257.5 billion won in national funds and support for resolving 14 pending issues from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Metropolitan Wide-area Transportation Committee (Daegwangwi).

The national fund support projects proposed for next year include the extension of Seoul Subway Line 7 to Cheongna (157 billion won), the national policy transition of the Incheon-type birth policy (50.5 billion won), improvement of the congested road from Gongdan Overpass to Seo-Incheon IC (10.9 billion won), timely opening of KTX from Incheon (18 billion won), construction of integrated wireless network for Incheon Subway Lines 1 and 2 (9.4 billion won), and increase of residential living support funds for the West Sea 5 Islands (9.3 billion won), among others.

At the meeting with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Mayor Yoo explained the need for passing the preliminary feasibility study for the undergrounding project of the Gyeongin Expressway and the exemption from the preliminary feasibility study for the 'G-Blocks' project in Songdo International City.

To the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, he requested administrative and financial support for the Incheon-type administrative system reform scheduled for July 2026 and revision of the special law supporting the West Sea 5 Islands to provide national funding for passenger ship operations. He also proposed improvements to the ordinary local allocation tax system, including expanded reflection of child population demand.

Mayor Yoo also met with the Minister of Health and Welfare to propose the national policy transition of the Incheon-type low birthrate policy '1 Billion Plus i Dream' and the establishment of a social welfare system for 'Thousand-Won Housing for Newlyweds,' and requested cooperation for the establishment of a public medical school at Incheon National University.

To the Metropolitan Wide-area Transportation Committee, he requested the inclusion of the Incheon-proposed route in the extension project of Seoul Subway Line 5 and national funding of 157 billion won for the purchase and production of vehicles for the Line 7 Cheongna extension. Additionally, he urged the prompt passage of the preliminary feasibility study for the extension of Incheon Subway Line 2 to Goyang to improve transportation convenience in the northwest metropolitan area.

Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok is handing over a petition, which includes the reflection of Incheon's proposed route for the Seoul Line 5 extension project, to Kang Hee-eop, Chairman of the Metropolitan Area Wide Transport Committee (right).
[Photo by Incheon City]

The Ministry of Economy and Finance plans to compile the government budget by next month after consultations with related ministries and local governments and public opinion gathering, based on the budget requests received from each ministry at the end of May, and submit it to the National Assembly by September 2.

Incheon City has set its national fund acquisition target for next year at over 6.19 trillion won, including 890 billion won in ordinary local allocation tax. During the government budget review period, the city plans to devote full efforts to responding to the government budget formulation by checking the national fund activity performance of department heads and bureau chiefs every week under the chairmanship of the Deputy Mayor.

Mayor Yoo said, "Although difficulties are expected in securing national funds next year due to the government's sound fiscal policy, securing national funds is essential for promoting key projects," adding, "We will do our best together with all public officials to achieve securing 6 trillion won in national funds for three consecutive years."

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