Gyeonggi Province Allocates 79.8 Billion Won for 28 Regional Balance Development Projects in 2021

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hoon] Gyeonggi Province announced on the 22nd that it has confirmed allocating 79.8 billion won for a total of 28 projects in 2021 as part of the "Second Gyeonggi Provincial Regional Balance Development Master Plan" that it is pursuing over five years from 2020 to 2024.

The allocation consists of 1.4 billion won in national funds, 46.4 billion won in provincial funds, and 32 billion won in municipal funds. With this, the overall five-year scale of the second regional balance development project has increased from 416.8 billion won last year to 435.7 billion won, an increase of 18.9 billion won.

The "Gyeonggi Provincial Regional Balance Development Master Plan" is a master plan established every five years to narrow regional disparities within the province and promote balanced development.

In accordance with the "Gyeonggi Provincial Regional Balance Development Support Ordinance," Gyeonggi Province surveyed and analyzed regional development levels and selected six cities and counties—Gapyeong, Yangpyeong, Yeoncheon, Yeoju, Pocheon, and Dongducheon—as target regions for regional balance development projects. Support is provided across three areas: "strategic projects by city and county," "national balanced growth special accounting support projects," and "locally transferred balanced growth projects."

First, for "strategic projects by city and county," ▲5 projects in Gapyeong including the Unaksan tourism village development with 9.1 billion won ▲5 projects in Yangpyeong including the Jipyeong-myeon water supply expansion project for areas vulnerable to water shortages with 8.8 billion won ▲3 projects in Yeoncheon including the Yeoncheon Station-linked station area infrastructure construction project with 7.9 billion won ▲4 projects in Pocheon including the Seondan IC connecting road expansion and widening project with 11.4 billion won ▲3 projects in Yeoju including the Ohak-Cheongsong urban area connecting road development project with 14.3 billion won ▲3 projects in Dongducheon including the Bandabi Sports Center with 11.7 billion won were reflected, totaling 23 projects with 63.2 billion won.

For "national balanced growth special accounting support projects," a total of 3 projects were reflected: Gapyeong-gun Buk-myeon community sports park development project with 1.3 billion won, Yeoncheon natural recreation forest facility improvement with 1 billion won, and Dongducheon natural recreation forest facility improvement with 1 billion won, for a total of 3.3 billion won.

For "locally transferred balanced growth projects," a scale of 2 projects with 13.3 billion won, 3 billion won is allocated to Gapyeong Cultural Center and 10.3 billion won to Yangpyeong rural and fishery living water development project.

Lim Soon-taek, Director of Balanced Development, said, "2021 is the second year of the second regional balance development project, and we have reflected only necessary expenses such as design costs, land acquisition costs, and some construction initiation costs in accordance with the planned progress of projects," adding, "We will work closely with cities and counties to ensure thorough project management so that projects proceed as planned."

Meanwhile, prior to the second project, the province had supported 51 projects with 317.1 billion won from 2015 to 2019 as the first regional balance development project. However, projects selected in 2018-2019 among the first balanced growth projects will continue through 2021.

Among the 36 first-phase strategic projects, approximately 80 percent, or 29 projects, have been completed, and among the 15 balanced growth projects, the 5 projects selected in 2018-2019 are currently proceeding normally according to the set schedule.

For seven strategic projects currently delayed, the province will work with cities and counties to complete them by the first half of 2021, and for those that cannot be completed, it plans to re-examine feasibility and decide on whether to continue with the projects.