Gangwon Provincial Council Education Committee Cuts 79.8 Billion Won from 2026 Education Office Main Budget

Preliminary Review of the 2026 Gangwon Office of Education Main Budget
Finalization of Preliminary Review for 3.9971 Trillion Won Main Budget Proposal

The Education Committee of the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Council, chaired by Lee Younguk, convened its 7th session on November 26 and completed the preliminary review of the 2026 main budget proposal submitted by the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Office of Education, totaling 3.9971 trillion won.

The 342nd 4th Education Committee session. Provided by Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Council

From November 24 to 26, the Education Committee thoroughly examined the budget execution plans and the feasibility of project implementation submitted by the provincial office of education. As a result, the committee reduced the budget by 79.8 billion won, which is about 2% of the total main budget, reallocating it as internal reserves.

In particular, given the challenging fiscal conditions such as the reduction in general grants, which resulted in a 200 billion won decrease compared to this year, the committee called for meticulous analysis of all projects, detailed project planning, and restructuring of projects to ensure efficient and stable financial management.

Among the major budget reductions by department, the Policy Bureau saw a decrease of 40.3 billion won in projects such as the operation of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) learning platform, support for computers and advanced classroom devices, promotion of smart education, support for school career activities, and textbook support. In particular, regarding the "Smart Education Promotion Project" and "Support for Advanced Classroom Devices," the committee determined that a comprehensive review is needed, including the utilization of previously supplied devices, accurate demand surveys, comprehensive planning, and efficient budget execution. The "Career Activity Support Fund" was also reduced, as alternatives and supplementary measures are needed to prevent its use for purposes other than intended.

The Education Bureau reduced 6 billion won for the support of school culture complex facilities, while the Administration Bureau cut a total of 33.5 billion won from budgets for fire safety facility maintenance, seismic reinforcement, and integrated maintenance and operation of school facilities. While the committee fully acknowledged the necessity of the "Fire Safety Facility Maintenance" and "Seismic Reinforcement" projects for student safety, it partially reduced the budgets, emphasizing the need for thorough project planning and countermeasures to prevent poor construction, which has recently occurred not only in public institutions but also in the private sector.

Chairman Lee Younguk stated, "This budget review was an essential adjustment to ensure the efficient operation and effectiveness of educational projects within limited resources. Now that project restructuring has taken place, we will continue to monitor the effective execution of the allocated budget in actual educational settings and take responsibility to prevent unnecessary waste from recurring."

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