Gwangju Seo-gu Launches 'Resident Participatory Budget' Contest

Project Proposals Accepted Until July 11

Seo-gu District of Gwangju (District Mayor Kim Ikang) is launching the 2026 Resident Participatory Budget Contest Project to realize "genuine resident-centered autonomy."

Seo-gu announced that it will be accepting resident-proposed projects to be reflected in the 2026 budget from June 27 to July 11.

Poster for the Resident Participatory Budget Proposal Project. Provided by Seo District

The Resident Participatory Budget System is a system in which residents directly participate in the entire budgeting process?from planning and execution to settlement?in order to discover projects that meet local needs and to enhance budget transparency.

This year's Seo-gu Resident Participatory Budget totals 2 billion KRW and is divided into: ▲ District Participation Type (300 million KRW) ▲ Regional Participation Type (900 million KRW) ▲ Village Planning Type (600 million KRW) ▲ Youth Participation Type (200 million KRW), seeking projects that will help resolve resident inconveniences and improve quality of life.

Participation in the contest is open to all Seo-gu residents as well as anyone working at a business within Seo-gu. To improve the effectiveness of proposals, education and support programs will also be provided.

Seo-gu plans to operate a Resident Participatory Budget School to make the budgeting process easier to understand and to support participants in developing concrete proposals through practical training sessions.

In addition, expert consulting will be offered to increase the feasibility of proposed projects, and a real-time contest submission portal will be operated to actively encourage resident participation.

Heo Miok, Director of Planning, stated, "Through the process of turning residents' proposals into actual policies, residents will be able to experience firsthand that they are the true owners of the budget," and added, "We ask for your interest and participation so that your voices can become the foundation for making Seo-gu a better place to live."

Meanwhile, last year Seo-gu implemented resident-oriented projects through the Resident Participatory Budget, such as free bicycle classes for residents, production of village health signboards, a youth restaurant startup academy, and installation of heated seats at bus stops.

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