Mapo District Calls for Resident Participatory Budget Proposals Totaling 1 Billion Won

Applications Accepted Until June 30
Full Participation by Residents from Proposal to Selection

Mapo District in Seoul announced on May 6 that it will be accepting proposals from residents for projects to be reflected in next year’s budget until June 30 this year. The total funding for this call is 1 billion won. For general projects, applications can be made for up to 100 million won per project, while event-type projects can receive up to 15 million won each.

Mapo-gu Resident Participatory Budget Project Contest Announcement Poster. Provided by Mapo-gu.

Not only Mapo residents but also workers, students, and organizations within the district can participate. Proposals can be submitted in seven categories: public safety, education and sports, welfare and health, tourism and economy, urban environment, transportation and construction, and general public administration.

Applications are accepted online through the Mapo Resident Participatory Budget website. Submissions can also be made in person at the Mapo District Office’s Budget Policy Division or by mail. The application form can be downloaded from the Mapo District Office website.

All proposed projects will undergo a feasibility review by the relevant department, a resident vote, and deliberation by the Resident Participatory Budget Committee before final selection. The selected projects will be included in the 2027 main budget following approval by the district council.

The district will also operate a "Budget School" in June this year to provide guidance on the system and instructions on how to write proposals. Last year, the number of project applications increased from 87 to 100, and the number of residents participating in the vote rose from 872 to 1,308. Fifty-three projects were adopted, including the career re-entry support program for women "Back to Work" and the "Mapo Family Sports Day."

This year, 116 proposals were submitted, and 32 projects were selected. With a budget of approximately 850 million won, these include the installation of non-slip road curbs, an international exchange and multicultural communication program for youth, and a next-generation developmental disability creative artist training project.

A Mapo District official stated, "The participatory budgeting system is an important channel through which each resident’s ideas can become real policies," and added, "We encourage everyone to freely submit various ideas that could be reflected in the 2027 budget."

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