Gwangmyeong City's 2026 Budget Confirmed at 1.3471 Trillion Won

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Yu Je-sung] Gwangmyeong City announced on the 22nd that its 2026 budget of 1.3471 trillion won was finalized after being passed at the Gwangmyeong City Council plenary session on the 19th.

This represents an 18.8% increase from the previous year's main budget of 1.1343 trillion won, with the general account budget reaching 1.0193 trillion won, marking the first time the general account budget has exceeded 1 trillion won on the basis of the main budget.

By sector, the city will concentrate investments totaling 2.726 trillion won in △basic society sector 49.9 billion won △carbon neutrality and garden city sector 144.1 billion won △autonomous decentralization, social economy and lifelong learning sector 27.4 billion won △livelihood economy and job creation sector 51.2 billion won.

First, the city will invest 49.9 billion won in the 'basic society' sector, which guarantees basic rights throughout citizens' daily lives including care, transportation, healthcare, and housing.

Along with basic income policies such as military enlistment support funds, first birthday celebration funds, and youth basic income, the city will expand comprehensive care policies including paternal childcare leave incentives, seasonal fruit support for elderly living alone, and support for family caregiving youth. Additionally, through children and adolescent transportation fee support, customized bus operations for transportation-underserved areas, and housing, education, and healthcare assistance, the city plans to strengthen the foundation of basic society that all citizens can experience.

Large-scale investments will also be made in transitioning to a sustainable green city in response to the climate crisis. With 144.1 billion won invested in carbon neutrality policies, urban forest path and garden creation, urban agriculture activation, and resource circulation economy establishment, the city plans to create an urban structure where environment and daily life coexist.

Additionally, 27.4 billion won will be allocated to the autonomous decentralization, lifelong learning, and social economy sectors to strengthen the self-reliant foundation of local communities.

Through citizen roundtable meetings and resident autonomy capacity-building projects, participatory democracy will be expanded, and through lifelong learning support funds, autonomous university operations, and expanded library services, the city will establish a structure where learning circulates within the region. The social economy sector will also expand connections with the local economy through fostering local brands and expanding fair trade.

The city has allocated 51.2 billion won to local economic recovery and livelihood stability sectors. Through public job creation and elderly environmental volunteer corps and other job creation projects, expanded local currency, commercial district activation, small and medium enterprise fostering, and startup education, the city plans to support highly tangible livelihood economic recovery.

The city plans to implement the finalized budget swiftly and systematically from the beginning of the year and strengthen performance reviews and execution management by project to increase citizen perception of benefits.

Mayor Park Seung-won stated, "This budget faithfully reflects the direction of central government national projects despite difficult fiscal conditions, while concretely embodying the city's vision of 'realizing basic society and sustainable growth,'" and added, "We will focus on creating tangible changes that citizens can experience in their daily lives and strengthening the region's future competitiveness."