Damyang County Governor Park Jongwon Meets Ruling and Opposition Lawmakers to Request State Funding

Seeks Support for Rural and Fishing Communities Basic Income Pilot Program Selection, Local Route 60 Expansion and Other Projects

Damyang County in South Jeolla Province has asked the National Assembly for support in securing selection for the rural and fishing communities basic income pilot program and expanding Local Route 60, among other projects.

According to Damyang County on November 10, County Governor Park Jongwon visited the National Assembly the previous day and met with Lee Kwangjae, chair of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts; Seo Sam-seok, chair of the Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee; Democratic Party of Korea lawmakers Jo In-cheol, Jeong Jun-ho and Jeon Jin-suk; and People Power Party lawmakers Cho Bae-sook and Shin Seong-beom. Park asked them to include funding for local projects in the 2027 government budget proposal.

Damyang County Governor Park Jongwon (left) poses for a commemorative photo with Lee Kwang-jae, chair of the National Assembly’s Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, at the National Assembly on the 9th, holding a proposal requesting that funding for local projects be included in the 2027 budget. Provided by Damyang County.

The key projects for which he sought funding include the rural and fishing communities basic income pilot program (KRW 82.2 billion); expansion of the Changpyeong-Daedeok section of Local Route 60 to four lanes (KRW 49.6 billion); development of a modern missionary complex along the Moonlight Railway Road (KRW 3.5 billion); flood prevention in Damyang-eup, a priority area for sewer system maintenance (KRW 14.3 billion); and construction of the Moonlight Railway (KRW 4.5158 trillion).

Park described the high rate of population aging in rural areas and the outflow of young people, and asked for Damyang to be selected for the rural and fishing communities basic income pilot program. He also called for the prompt advancement of the Local Route 60 expansion project, an additional KRW 1.7 billion in central government funding for flood prevention in Damyang-eup, and KRW 600 million in central government funding for the modern missionary complex project.

He also called for expanded financial support to maintain the local emergency medical care system and increased central government funding for the construction of public health centers in rural and fishing communities.

Regarding the Moonlight Inland Railway construction project, he emphasized that the railway would connect the Yeongnam and Honam regions and link hubs for advanced industries such as semiconductors, robotics and batteries. He called for the related administrative procedures to be expedited and construction to begin early.

“There can be no partisan divide when it comes to resolving issues directly affecting regional development and residents’ lives,” Park said. “Through cooperation that transcends party lines and continued visits to the National Assembly, I will work to secure the central government funding we need and ensure that key projects deliver results.”

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