Gyeonggi Province faces budget cuts and organizational restructuring

Gyeonggi Province is undergoing significant fiscal restructuring and organizational changes under Governor Choo Mi-ae. The province has proposed a budget for next year that reduces the Social Innovation Economy Bureau's budget by 56.5%, dropping from 56.7 billion won to 24.7 billion won. Notably, the project budget for the Gyeonggi Social Economy Institute has been set to zero, leaving only funds for labor and operating costs.

Governor Choo addressed recent controversies regarding her comments on firefighting finances, apologizing for using inappropriate terminology while emphasizing the need for national support to cover firefighter personnel costs. She stated that despite political criticism, she is committed to addressing the province's fiscal crisis through structural innovation.

In addition to budget cuts, the province plans to reorganize its administrative structure, moving social solidarity economy and community tasks to other departments. Local social economy organizations have issued joint statements demanding the withdrawal of these plans, arguing that the cuts threaten the stability of the social economy ecosystem. The province maintains that these measures are necessary to integrate overlapping functions and improve efficiency amid a declared fiscal emergency.