Improvement Needed in Suwon Citizens Hall Operations

The Suwon Citizens Hall, operated under contract by the Suwon Cultural Foundation, has been recording annual deficits of nearly 200 million won, prompting assertions of poor management and calls for comprehensive improvements.

On the 28th of last month, during an administrative inspection of the General Affairs Department by the Suwon City Council's Self-Governing Planning Committee (Chairman Myung Gyu-hwan), Assemblyman Park Jang-won (Pyeong-geumho district) pointed out that a comprehensive review of Suwon Citizens Hall is necessary.

According to Assemblyman Park, the Suwon Cultural Foundation receives nearly 200 million won annually in operating funds from the city to manage the Citizens Hall. However, rental revenue came to 333.89 million won last year and 368.6 million won this year, resulting in a deficit of 170 million won.

Additionally, he noted that the majority of Citizens Hall operating costs are spent only on facility maintenance and personnel expenses, with insufficient investment in planned projects such as performances.

"In addition to operating costs, 900 million won in facility expenses has been provided from 2002 to last year," he said, adding "please develop alternative measures to address the shortage of performance and cultural spaces in the Suwon region."

In response, Cha Gwang-in, director of the Self-Governing Planning Bureau, answered, "We will review measures such as entrusting operations to other arts organizations, open recruitment of operating entities, and accepting proposal submissions."