'Seoul's Supplementary Budget Halted' 1.2 Billion Won Cut for Nighttime Economy, 300 Million Won for Hangang Bus... "Mayor Oh's Self-Congratulatory Projects"

“Youth AI Growth Rights Support Program” Entire 5.6 Billion Won Cut
“Blocking Taxpayer Money for Ill-Prepared, Poorly Planned Projects”
Budgets Also Slashed for G-Valley Revitalization and Ballet Company Rehearsal Studio

The Seoul Metropolitan Council took strong measures to rein in power by significantly cutting budgets for key initiatives championed by Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon during the preliminary review of the supplementary budget bill. Council members from the Democratic Party of Korea criticized, "These are populist and showy expenditures pushed forward without concrete plans."

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Council on September 7, the largest reduction in the supplementary budget review concerned the “Youth AI Growth Rights Support Program” under the Office of Future Youth, which was cut by 5,625,000,000 won. This program was intended to provide generative AI user accounts and AI competency-building programs for 500,000 young people.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon Yonhap News

Democratic Party council members from the Urban Planning and Balance Committee assessed that this project was a textbook example of “incompetently planned, self-congratulatory spending” included in the supplementary budget without any concrete implementation plan or outcome verification model.

The Democratic Party stated, “Allowing tens of billions of taxpayers’ won to be poured into an ill-prepared, poorly planned project aimed at using the name of youth simply to promote the mayor’s achievements constitutes a dereliction of duty by the council.” They also dismissed accusations that “Funds for youth were slashed and diverted to disability-related initiatives” as “baseless political attacks” and criticized such claims as “efforts to pit youth against people with disabilities.”

Other initiatives promoted by Mayor Oh were also subjected to numerous budget cuts during the preliminary review. Supplementary budget projects reduced during the council’s review included: ▲ Creation and operation of night markets by region, 1,202,000,000 won ▲ “Night Cinema & Gastronomy Program” at Seoul Film Center, 50,000,000 won ▲ G-Valley Revitalization Project, 55,000,000 won ▲ Creation of a rehearsal studio for the Seoul Ballet Company, 765,000,000 won ▲ Reinforcement of mooring facilities for the Hangang Bus Dock, 288,000,000 won, and others.

The Health and Welfare Committee and the Transportation Committee also urged Seoul City to carefully scrutinize performance verification and fiscal burdens related to major welfare and transportation projects such as the Stepping Stone Income, Wrist Doctor 9988, and Climate Companion Card.

The Seoul Metropolitan Council Democratic Party stated, “We will always cooperate on projects that serve the public interest,” but criticized the budget bill proposed by Mayor Oh as “an ill-prepared budget lacking sufficient administrative planning.”

They continued, “Demanding budget approval without even a minimum implementation plan is disrespectful to citizens,” adding, “Do not attempt to shift the blame by manipulating public opinion through the media.” In closing, they declared, “During the comprehensive review by the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, we will conduct a rigorous evaluation based on principles and facts.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.