[Provided by Seongju-gun]
[Provided by Seongju-gun]

Seongju-gun in North Gyeongsang Province is stepping up cooperation with central government ministries to secure state budget allocations and policy backing for key local projects.

Seongju-gun chief Jeon Hwa-sik visited Government Complex Sejong on Wednesday, where he met with Deputy Prime Minister Koo Yun-cheol, who also serves as minister of economy and finance. He then held a series of meetings with senior officials at the Ministry of Planning and Budget, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Ministry of Interior and Safety to present the county's priorities.

Jeon urged Kim Tae-gon, director of economic budget review, to actively support funding for the county's major projects. In a separate meeting with Seo Jun-han, the agriculture ministry's director general for retail and consumer policy, Jeon discussed ways to strengthen the local agricultural sector — including modernizing facilities for Seongju's signature melon industry and building a circular system for upcycled farm produce.

Jeon also met with Kim Ho-jin, director general of the regional economy bureau at the Ministry of Interior and Safety. Kim previously served as head of planning and coordination at North Gyeongsang Province and is well acquainted with local conditions. The two discussed key initiatives including the development of the Seongju No. 3 general industrial complex and a Seongju-style rural basic income program aimed at revitalizing the local economy and countering population decline, and Jeon requested the ministry's attention and cooperation.

"Local issues cannot be resolved with a single explanation," Jeon said. "I will keep visiting and persistently making the case until the central government fully understands the need for these projects and reflects them in actual policy and budgets."


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