Namhae County and Gyeongsangnam-do Officially Launch '2027 Participatory Budget Proposal Contest'

Expanding Participation to the Living Population
Enhancing Public Engagement with Tailored Contests by Category

Namhae County in South Gyeongsang Province and the Gyeongsangnam-do provincial government are officially launching a “Participatory Budget Proposal Contest” to incorporate residents’ opinions into the 2027 budget planning process.

This year, the participatory budgeting system is notable for expanding the range of eligible participants. Moving beyond the previous requirement of having an official address in the area, the system now allows the so-called “living population”—including students, workers, and registered foreign residents in the region—to participate, thus lowering the participation barrier.

Namhae County will accept project proposals for 50 days from April 27 to June 16, with a total budget of 4.5 billion won allocated for this initiative. The contest is divided into seven categories based on the nature of the projects: ▲General category ▲Youth Empowerment category ▲Socially Disadvantaged Self-Reliance category ▲Circular Economy Coexistence category ▲Community Safety category ▲Eup/Myeon Autonomy Plan (Specialized) category ▲Eup/Myeon Autonomy Plan (Autonomous) category.

[Photo courtesy of Namhae County] View of Namhae County Office building

The General category targets universal development projects that impact the entire county, while the Youth Empowerment category focuses on supporting youth self-reliance through employment and entrepreneurship initiatives.

The Socially Disadvantaged Self-Reliance category centers on projects aimed at improving the daily lives of vulnerable groups such as the elderly and people with disabilities.

In addition, the Circular Economy Coexistence category is designed to promote resource circulation and strengthen community cooperation within the region, while the Community Safety category addresses resident-focused issues such as crime prevention and traffic safety. The Eup/Myeon Autonomy Plan categories are driven by resident self-governance, reflecting the unique characteristics of each locality.

Gyeongsangnam-do Province has also revised its contest categories based on the results of a resident survey. The previous “Province–City/County Cooperative” category has been renamed the “Local Coexistence category,” and the “Youth Participation category” has been expanded to the “Youth and Senior Participation category” to encourage intergenerational involvement. The provincial contest period runs from April 1 to May 20.

After proposals are submitted, they undergo customized consulting and reviews by relevant provincial and municipal departments, after which final selections are made at the General Assembly of the Participatory Budget Committee in the second half of the year. In the case of Namhae County, the project priorities will be determined through a county-wide resident vote around September, followed by a final decision on budget allocation.

Project proposals can be submitted online through each institution’s e-participation portal, as well as by email, mail, or in person. By using the QR code, applications can also be conveniently submitted via mobile devices.

A Namhae County official stated, “The participatory budgeting system is a key institution of fiscal democracy that allows residents to directly determine the projects they need,” adding, “We look forward to active participation so that community-focused ideas can be translated into real policies and budgets.”

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