Seohae-gu Council addresses fiscal crisis during extraordinary session

The Seohae-gu Council in Incheon has commenced its 283rd extraordinary session, a 13-day period running until July 23. During the initial plenary session, the council addressed several key administrative matters, including the appointment of members for the Ethics Special Committee and the Budget and Accounts Special Committee, as well as discussions regarding the 2026 administrative audit and supplementary budget proposals.

A primary focus of the session has been the district's current fiscal challenges. Council member Gong Jeong-suk raised concerns regarding the financial strain caused by the recent administrative reorganization, noting that insufficient support from Incheon City has forced the district to bear significant initial costs for temporary offices and network separation. Gong criticized potential measures to offset these costs, such as adjusting fees for cultural and sports facilities or increasing the price of trash bags, arguing that administrative failures should not result in increased burdens for residents.

In response, District Head Gu Jae-yong identified several factors contributing to the fiscal pressure, including increased facility management costs for roads and green spaces, rising operating expenses for public facilities, and revenue shortages. To address the crisis, the district administration plans to continue requesting financial support from Incheon City, strengthen tax delinquency management, and implement expenditure restructuring. This includes a goal to reduce ordinary expenses, business promotion costs, and event-related spending by more than 10% during the 2027 budget formulation process.