Asan City to Pursue Securing 662.1 Billion Won in Government Budget This Year

Planning and Economy Bureau Briefing on the 18th
Issuance of 200 Billion KRW in Local Currency and More

On the 18th, Moon Byungrok, Director of the Planning and Economy Bureau, is explaining key projects in the city hall briefing room.

Asan City in Chungnam Province has set its target for securing this year's government budget at 662.1 billion KRW and announced plans to actively attract national funding by analyzing the policy directions of the central government and the National Assembly.

The city has also set its local tax collection target at 764.7 billion KRW, a 15.76% increase from the previous year, and plans to secure stable finances through systematic tax administration.

The city will focus on efficient budget management by accelerating budget execution to invigorate the local economy and reducing unnecessary expenditures through expenditure restructuring.

Policies to support small business owners and revitalize local commercial districts will also be strengthened. The local currency, 'Asan Pay,' will be issued this year with a total volume of 200 billion KRW to boost local consumption. In the first half of the year, management normalization funds will be provided to about 17,000 small business owners with annual sales of less than 104 million KRW.

In addition, special guarantee support for small business owners will be expanded from 9.6 billion KRW to 15.6 billion KRW, reducing the financial burden on self-employed individuals struggling with economic downturn and rising interest rates.

The city will also address employment issues. By utilizing the 'Employment Service Integrated Network' launched last month, Asan plans to establish a virtuous cycle that provides stable jobs for job seekers and connects companies with suitable talent.

Large-scale projects to secure urban growth engines are also underway. The city is actively working to attract the second Central Police Academy by creating optimal conditions and strengthening its case for selection.

The construction of the National Police Hospital is expected to be partially scaled down due to failing to meet the B/C (benefit-cost ratio) for a 550-bed facility in the preliminary feasibility study by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. However, 24 essential medical departments and six specialized centers, including the Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Center and the Mental Health Center, will proceed as originally planned.

To lay the foundation for the second phase of the project, the site area will be maintained at the original size of 81,118 square meters.

The city is also focusing on creating new growth engines by building an industrial base. Through the designation of the Chungnam Free Economic Zone, Asan aims to foster an investment environment for global companies and attract 33 companies in materials, parts, and equipment sectors such as semiconductors and automobile parts, as well as foreign-invested companies.

By establishing a base for the National Advanced Strategic Industry Specialized Complex for displays, the city will secure a technological edge and plans to invest 484 billion KRW in the Tangjeong Techno General Industrial Complex by 2032 to create an inorganic light-emitting display ecosystem.

In addition, Asan will promote the creation of an innovative ecosystem to lead future industries. Together with the Bio-Medical Integrated Support Center, which is scheduled for completion this year, the city will establish the nation's first Human Microbiome Commercialization Center and Process Development Innovation Center to enhance the competitiveness of the bio-pharmaceutical industry.

The city will also foster itself as a hub for future mobility innovation by building a future mobility testbed, supporting SDV (Software-Defined Vehicle) technology development, and promoting projects for automotive AI semiconductor design and verification.

Moon Byungrok, Director of Planning and Economy, stated, "This year will be an important year for our city to grow as a leading economic hub representing Korea," adding, "We will pursue policies together with our citizens to lead sustainable development."

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