Anyang Mayor Choi Dae-ho: "Powerful Fiscal Innovation...Future City Development Projects to Proceed Without Hindrance"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Eom In-yong] Mayor Choi Dae-ho of Anyang City revealed the city's administrative direction regarding future city development projects and livelihood stabilization through a policy speech at the "298th Anyang City Council 2nd Regular Session" held on the 20th.

Mayor Choi stated, "To overcome difficult local financial circumstances, we have implemented powerful fiscal innovation by readjusting project priorities and investment timing, and by reviewing all projects from scratch, we have increased expenditure efficiency."

Anyang City's 2025 budget totals 1.7594 trillion won, a 2.5% decrease compared to the previous year.

He continued, "Focusing on the city's five major policy visions, we have prioritized transportation and advanced projects for creating future city Anyang, and projects for private economic revitalization and social safety net strengthening, and we will proceed without hindrance in stabilizing people's livelihoods, protecting socially disadvantaged groups, promoting youth policies, and creating a pleasant and prosperous urban environment."

Mayor Choi mentioned that FC Anyang, a civic sports club founded in 2013, was promoted to the top division for the first time in 11 years, and that the enactment of special legislation for "underground railway on the Gyeongbu Line," initially proposed by the city in 2010, has laid the groundwork for major urban transformation.

Additionally, Anyang became the first local government to obtain "International Standard Certification for Smart Cities" under the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a subordinate organization of the United Nations (UN).

■ Concentrating Resources on Building Sustainable Future-Oriented Smart City

The city plans to complete administrative procedures for the Indeokwon urban development project by the first half of next year and commence site construction work. The Shin-Ansan Line, Wolpan Line, Indong Line, and Gyeonggi Rapid Transit (GTX)-C construction projects are proceeding smoothly, and the city plans to commercialize autonomous public transportation services.

Furthermore, the city will proceed without hindrance on key projects including Bakdal Smart City development, relocation of Anyang Penitentiary and modernization of Anyang legal facilities, and attracting new growth industries to the City Hall site, thereby strengthening urban competitiveness through close cooperation with relevant government agencies.

Mayor Choi said, "We will create an Anyang-type compact city that enables a 10-minute living area, and consolidate urban functions through future-oriented high-density complex development, leading development as a smart transportation city."

■ Stabilizing People's Livelihoods and Revitalizing Regional Economy

The city will strengthen the self-sustainability of alley business areas by providing special guarantee programs, interest rate subsidies, and business environment improvements for small merchants, and will support business management stability for small and medium enterprises through special guarantees, interest rate subsidies for business development funds, and trade credit insurance support programs.

The city will operate a Digital Content Enterprise Growth Support Center leading the fourth industrial revolution to nurture substantial content companies and create local jobs and economic revitalization.

Additionally, the city will actively pursue job expansion by operating career exploration and employment competency enhancement programs for youth, supporting youth startup companies, and hosting employment expos by social class.

Mayor Choi said in this regard, "Local alley businesses must thrive for the local economy to revive, and we will strengthen the independent foundation of small merchants to create a virtuous cycle structure of the local economy."

■ Strengthening Social Safety Net to Enhance Care for Vulnerable Groups

The city will address care gaps through the "Care for Everyone Project," which allows any citizen in need of care, regardless of income or age, to use the service, and plans to expand the "Starting Over" support fund that assists former welfare recipients.

Additionally, the city will substantively promote educational welfare including newly supporting entrance celebration funds for elementary school newcomers and universal support for menstrual hygiene products for female youth.

The city will provide smart health management services utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT), introduce a real-time detection system for missing persons, and upgrade smartphone safe-arrival services developed independently by Anyang City and currently integrated and operated across 21 cities in Gyeonggi Province to protect citizens' health and safety.

Mayor Choi stated, "When the economic situation is difficult, the social safety net for vulnerable groups and socially disadvantaged people must be strengthened even more, and we will address blind spots in safety management by converging digital technology with the safety sector."

■ A City Where Youth Can Dream...Continuing Diverse Youth Policies

The city plans to continue implementing various policies for youth housing stability including supply of youth rental housing, support for deposit and monthly rent loan interest, and youth moving expense support.

The city will also expand youth capacity-building programs to provide startup and personal finance education, and will newly open "Anyang Youth Street 1st" in Anyang 1-dong, Man'an-gu in the first half of next year to support youth culture and community revitalization.

Additionally, the city plans to actively identify youth experiencing isolation or withdrawal, and help them achieve complete daily recovery and stable self-reliance through customized support programs.

■ Creating Pleasant Urban Environment with Enriched Living

The city will conduct feasibility studies and establish basic plans for public complex sports facilities including an FC Anyang-dedicated stadium, prepare efficient project implementation plans for the Comprehensive Sports Complex site, and complete the Seoksu Sports Center to contribute to revitalizing citizens' recreational sports.

The city will also create pleasant and safe residential environments through urban renewal of the first-phase Pyeongchon New Town pilot district and systematic improvement of aging apartment complexes, and will actively promote carbon-neutral policies and new renewable energy convergence support projects to lead in climate crisis response.

Mayor Choi said, "The 2025 budget was compiled after rigorous deliberation with citizens' happiness and Anyang's future development as top priorities, and we will do our best to create visible changes and outcomes that citizens can feel and work toward a sustainable city Anyang where everyone lives well together."