COVER STORY Why Gyeonggi Province is under financial strain

Gyeonggi Province, Korea's Most Populous Province, Narrowly Averted Disruptions To Essential Welfare Programs With The Passage Of A Supplementary Budget On Monday. But Restoring Funding For The Rest Of 2026 Has Not Resolved The Fundamental Problem Behind The Crisis: Falling Revenue, Growing Spending Obligations And Fewer Resources To Bridge The Gap. With The Provincial Government Required To Submit Next Year’s Budget Proposal By Nov. 11, Residents And Welfare Providers Remain Concerned And Question Whether The Province's Gov. Choo Mi-ae Can Prevent Further Funding Shortfalls. What Did Monday’s Agreement Resolve? The Provincial Council Approved The Supplementary Budget After Last-minute Negotiations Restored 21.6 Billion Won ($16 Million) For Livelihood-related Programs, Including Support For Child Care And Postpartum Care. The Agreement Broke A Monthlong Impasse Over Funding Needed To Keep Essential Services Running Through The Final Quarter. Some Welfare Programs Had Been Allocated Only Nine Months Of Funding, Leaving Them Facing Suspension This Month And Prompting Protests By Child

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