Gangbuk-gu in Seoul is holding an online public vote through Aug. 5 to let residents directly choose which community projects will be funded through the district's participatory budgeting program. District Mayor Jeong Chang-su is overseeing the initiative.
The vote is a core component of the participatory budgeting system, through which residents take part in the budget-planning process and decide which projects should be prioritized to address local issues and improve living conditions.
This year's online vote covers 11 projects worth a combined 740 million won ($485,000). The results will be weighted at 50%, alongside the participatory budget committee's own vote at 50%, to determine the final lineup of projects for the 2027 participatory budget.
The 11 projects up for a vote this year are: production of a neighborhood history board, replacement of fitness equipment at the Mia-dong community center gym, operation of a small alley merchants' study program, operation of an independent comics library and cultural program at Jaeganjeong, improvement of women's safe-return walking routes, creation of an ecological education environment along the azalea ridge (Ppakppaksan) in Odong Neighborhood Park, installation of smart cooling-fog systems in children's parks, creation of a tree-lined street along the main road of Beon 3-dong Jugong 2 complex, separation and improvement of pedestrian and vehicle lanes along Opaesan-ro 30-gil, improvement of the access road to the tomb of Dr. Jo Byeong-ok, and creation of a parking and stopping safety notification zone.
Any Gangbuk-gu resident may participate by searching "Gangbuk-gu participatory budget" on the Seoul Metropolitan Government's M-Voting website and selecting three preferred projects from the list.
The district said it hopes broad resident participation will lead to a budget better tailored to local needs and projects that residents can feel the impact of firsthand.
"The participatory budgeting system is a prime example of participatory governance, where residents directly shape change in their community," district Mayor Jeong said. "We ask for your keen interest and active participation so that residents' valuable opinions can be reflected in Gangbuk-gu's 2027 budget."
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