Changwon Special City Strives to Secure National Funding with Members of the National Assembly

As the government announced the 2024 budget formulation guidelines to maintain a sound fiscal policy and thoroughly block financial leakages such as cash support projects and opaque subsidies, local governments have increasingly felt the need to restructure projects and strengthen the rationale for securing national funds in line with the government's budget formulation direction.

Accordingly, Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam held a strategic briefing session to discover large-scale project businesses linked to the government's budget formulation direction and to secure national funds for the next year, and subsequently launched full-scale activities to secure national funds with local members of the National Assembly.

On the 25th, the city held a breakfast meeting at the National Assembly main building with members of the National Assembly to discuss 'National Fund Support Project Proposals and Current Issues.'

All members of the National Assembly from the Changwon area, including Kim Young-seon (Uichang-gu), Kang Ki-yoon (Seongsan-gu), Choi Hyung-doo (Masanhappo-gu), Yoon Han-hong (Masanhoewon-gu), and Lee Dal-gon (Jinhae-gu), attended the meeting and had in-depth discussions with Hong Nam-pyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, on major national fund investment projects and regional issues urgently needing parliamentary support.

Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam held a breakfast meeting with members of the National Assembly at the National Assembly Main Building to discuss "National Budget Support Projects and Current Issues."

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The main projects discussed totaled 63, with a national fund securing target amount of 117.6 billion KRW (total project cost 13.2649 trillion KRW), and the overall national fund securing target for next year is 1.7712 trillion KRW.

The city focused its selection and concentration on 'Enhancing Private Sector-Led Economic Vitality,' one of the four major investment priorities in the government's budget formulation guidelines (enhancing private sector-led economic vitality, protecting vulnerable groups, innovating economic structure and system, strengthening the nation's basic functions), emphasizing the necessity of government budget input centered on projects contributing to future growth engines.

Mayor Hong, who raised the 'Changwon National Industrial Complex Digital Transformation Support Center Construction Project' as a key topic, stated, "Although the number of smart factories in the industrial complex is increasing, most remain at a low implementation stage, making advancement urgent." He emphasized that establishing the Digital Transformation Support Center will promote the practical nurturing of smart factories and serve as a catalyst leading the future 50 years of South Korea's manufacturing industry, actively requesting government budget support.

In addition, active proposals were made for projects to strengthen internal and external urban connectivity, including ▲promotion of KTX straightening between Changwon and Dongdaegu ▲introduction of Changwon urban railway (tram) ▲pilot project for Masan Station future-type transfer center ▲expansion of target areas for metropolitan traffic congestion road improvement projects ▲development of southern region (southeast region-Changwon) metropolitan tourism, as well as the implementation of presidential pledges for Gyeongnam.

Furthermore, the city requested active policy support at the National Assembly level for projects aimed at diversifying Changwon's industrial structure, such as ▲development of civilian-military dual-use hydrogen powertrain (hydrogen-based propulsion system) ▲construction of a future Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) complex research center ▲development of next-generation nuclear power industry innovative manufacturing technology ▲construction of next-generation composite beam irradiation facilities ▲development of enterprise occupancy spaces in Changwon's small giant special zone.

As in the previous year, the city plans to respond with full force to secure national funds by continuously conducting government personnel meetings and visits to central government ministries until the government budget formulation is finalized.

Mayor Hong said, "Securing national funds is crucially dependent on strategic promotion aligned with the government's budget formulation schedule and direction, so we intend to focus on strengthening the competitiveness of existing industries and creating future growth engines in line with the government's key investment directions. Although difficulties in securing national funds are expected amid challenging government fiscal conditions as last year, I ask the local members of the National Assembly gathered here to unite with our city in one mind and heart to ensure the securing of high-quality national funds through their keen interest and active support."

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