Namyangju mayor calls citizen safety 'top priority that cannot be traded for anything'

Namyangju Mayor Choi Hyeon-deok on Tuesday urged Kim Gwang-yong, head of the Ministry of Interior and Safety's Disaster and Safety Management Bureau, to expand special grants and local grant funding to address citizen safety and local issues.

During the meeting, Choi explained the need for key pending projects and asked the central government to provide active support.

The meeting was part of the city's ongoing efforts to cooperate with the central government in realizing civic sovereignty. Its aims were to build a safe city where residents can live with peace of mind — through expanded disaster-prevention infrastructure and a stronger local fiscal base — and to lay the groundwork for sustainable regional development.

Choi requested special grant funding for three projects: the Jikdongcheon lower-reach stream improvement project, the Mukhyeoncheon river improvement project and the Saneungcheon waterfront space development project.

The Jikdongcheon and Mukhyeoncheon projects are designed to improve the water-carrying and drainage capacity of the two streams to prevent the repeated flooding that occurs during heavy rainfall. The city plans to proactively eliminate disaster risks in those areas to protect residents' lives and property.

The Saneungcheon waterfront project aims to enhance the river's safety and ecological function while creating a low-carbon riverside park for everyday public use. Through the project, the city intends to improve the river environment and expand rest and leisure spaces for residents.

In addition, Choi raised the need to increase the share of local grant funding to secure a stable fiscal base, noting that administrative demand at the local level continues to grow while local fiscal conditions are becoming increasingly strained.

"Citizen safety is the top priority that cannot be traded for anything," Choi said. "Disaster-prevention projects deliver greater social and economic benefits than post-incident recovery, which is why active government support is essential."

"A stable local fiscal foundation underpins citizen safety and quality of life," he added. "Namyangju will continue to work closely with the central government to address citizen safety and local issues, and will do its utmost to secure government funding, including special grants and national budget allocations."