BUSAN — Safety-related projects drew the strongest support in the participatory budget program that Busan residents themselves proposed and selected for next year, adding momentum to budgeting that residents can feel in daily life.
The Busan Metropolitan Government said it would hold the general assembly of the 10th Participatory Budget Committee at Busan City Hotel on the 28th to give final review to 113 participatory budget projects worth 7.7 billion won ($5.7 million) for 2027. The results will be reflected in a residents' opinion paper to be submitted to the Busan Metropolitan Council in November.
By category, 17 projects worth 2.4 billion won fall under city administration participation, 66 projects worth 3.6 billion won under district participation, and 30 projects worth 1.7 billion won under district governance cooperation. About 1,600 residents took part in a preference survey conducted from the 3rd to the 21st of this month, giving officials a direct reading of which projects residents want.
In the city administration category, installing security cameras ranked first, followed by subsidies for demolishing bathhouse chimneys and replacing security cameras at the international seafood distribution facility management office. In the district participation category, top-ranked projects included expanding amenities at bus stops in Yeonje District, installing emergency call bells around the perimeter of Deokseong Elementary School in Buk District, and building traffic devices displaying pedestrian safety speeds in front of Deokcheon Middle School.
In the district governance cooperation category, developing specialized wellness and healing content for shared growth in Seo District ranked first, followed by road repairs around Wonyang-ro in Seo District and smart eco-safe restrooms in Hwamyeong, Buk District.
To broaden participation, the city operated its outreach proposal forums at 15 locations this year, four more than a year earlier. It also provided consulting and on-site checks for proposals from young people and specialized fields, making the projects more concrete and feasible.
Participatory budgeting is a leading fiscal democracy mechanism through which residents propose projects directly and take part in drawing up the budget. Proposals were accepted through March this year, then went through review by the responsible departments, district-level meetings, and deliberations by the Participatory Budget Committee's subcommittees and steering committee before reaching the final review stage.
"Through the participatory budget system, we will improve transparency and accountability in fiscal management and secure fairness in how funds are allocated," said Lee Kyung-deok, the city's finance director. "We will work to faithfully reflect projects that residents feel strongly about, such as preventing safety accidents, in the budgeting process so that they lead to real changes in everyday life."
