The Anyang City Council in Gyeonggi Province has decided to return the entire budget of 119.8 million won allocated for overseas business trips, considering the economic downturn and worsening financial conditions.
According to the council on August 18, the plan includes cutting 6.8 million won for council members' overseas travel expenses and 28 million won for supporting international activities for public officials, as part of the third supplementary budget for 2026.
This decision aims to participate in budget cuts during challenging local financial circumstances and to prioritize resources needed for citizens' livelihoods and the recovery of the local economy.
Citizens have generally responded positively to the council's decision to return the entire budget for overseas trips. In particular, amid ongoing economic stagnation, rising prices, and a shrinking local economy, many view the council's voluntary return of the overseas trip budget as a responsible effort to reduce expenses.
One citizen remarked, "In a situation where citizens are tightening their belts, it is significant that council members are returning travel budgets to redirect funds toward livelihoods. It is important to demonstrate actual budget cuts rather than just words."
Another citizen stated, "It is necessary to continuously verify whether the returned budget is used for projects that truly benefit citizens. I hope this decision leads the council to engage in more field-centered legislative activities rather than performative gestures."
The local community hopes that this budget return will not be a one-time measure but will lead to ongoing reductions in unnecessary budgets and a focus on projects that have a tangible impact on citizens.
Meanwhile, Chairman Eum Kyung-taek stated, "As the difficulties of local finances increase, the council must actively participate in budget-cutting efforts. Currently, it is more important to look at the realities of citizens' lives and find answers from their voices than to seek policy solutions abroad."
He added, "We will ensure that the returned budget is utilized more efficiently where it is needed by citizens and will continue to focus our legislative activities on the livelihoods of the people."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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