Osan Mayor Cho Yongho Requests 26.7 Billion Won in Special Local Allocation Tax Grants from Interior and Safety Minister Yoon Hojung

Requested 10 billion won each for reopening Seobu-ro and building a road across the Gyeongbu Line
Also proposed a phased 27.5 billion won increase in the standard personnel expense ceiling to meet administrative needs
Mayor Cho Yongho: "I will frequently visit the National Assembly and central government to secure special local allocation tax grants"

Cho Yongho, mayor of Osan, Gyeonggi Province, met with Interior and Safety Minister Yoon Hojung on the 22nd and requested 26.7 billion won in special local allocation tax grants for 15 local projects, including reopening Seobu-ro and building a road crossing the Gyeongbu Line railroad.

Osan Mayor Jo Yongho (left) hands a proposal on key municipal issues to Interior and Safety Minister Yoon Hojung on the 22nd. Provided by Osan City.

At a meeting held that afternoon at the Government Complex Seoul, Cho urged the government to provide support, saying, "The population is growing rapidly as urban development progresses, including the full-scale move-in to Segyo 2 District. We urgently need to build various social overhead capital facilities, including roads and neighborhood amenities, and increase our staffing quota."

The main projects for which support was requested included 10 billion won to reopen Seobu-ro in Gajang-dong, 10 billion won to build a road crossing the Gyeongbu Line railroad, and 800 million won to build an access road to Buk-Osan Interchange on the Second Seoul Metropolitan Area Ring Expressway.

Traffic restrictions have remained in place on some sections of Seobu-ro since a collapse near Gajang Intersection in July last year.

"Seobu-ro is a major arterial road connecting Osan with Suwon, Hwaseong, and Pyeongtaek," Cho said. "We ask you to actively consider providing 10 billion won in special local allocation tax grants so that the road can be restored to normal as soon as possible."

He also explained the need to build a road crossing the Gyeongbu Line railroad to reconnect the road network, which has been cut off by the railway, and an access road to Buk-Osan Interchange to ease traffic congestion during rush hour. He also requested 800 million won for repairs to the sound barrier along Seobu-ro to prevent safety accidents involving aging facilities.

In the disaster and safety sector, the city requested support to replace aging pumps at the Sinjang Rainwater Drainage Pump Station, install disaster information boards, and install crime-prevention CCTV cameras. The requests also included support for community-focused projects, such as building an urban planning road in Segyo-dong, upgrading the functions of the Nambu General Social Welfare Center, improving the environment at Chopyeong Library, and renovating children's playgrounds.

Cho also requested an increase in the standard personnel expense ceiling to address administrative demands arising from population growth.

"Osan has 327 fewer staff than the average for local governments of a similar size," Cho said. "We ask that the standard personnel expense ceiling be increased in stages by a total of 27.5 billion won over the two years of 2027 and 2028."

Minister Yoon replied, "We will carefully review the matters requested by Osan City and work together to consider solutions."

"I am prepared to visit the National Assembly and the central government to secure the budget needed to address inconveniences for residents and make the city safer," Cho said. "We will devote our full attention to ensuring that special local allocation tax grants are approved for as many of our city's pressing needs as possible."

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