The South Gyeongsang Provincial Government building [South Gyeongsang Province]
The South Gyeongsang Provincial Government building [South Gyeongsang Province]

South Gyeongsang Province has submitted a third supplementary budget for 2026 worth 436.4 billion won ($316 million) to the provincial assembly, the provincial government announced Tuesday. The spending plan targets public safety and stronger welfare support for vulnerable residents.

The supplementary budget raises the province's total annual expenditure by 2.8 percent — 436.4 billion won — to 15.97 trillion won, up from the original 15.53 trillion won. By account type, the general account grows 415.6 billion won, or 3 percent, to 14.36 trillion won, while special accounts increase 20.8 billion won, or 1.3 percent, to 1.61 trillion won.

The province directed the bulk of new funding toward disaster prevention and recovery in response to increasingly extreme weather. The plan allocates 90.2 billion won for river disaster prevention projects and 71.8 billion won for the rehabilitation of high-risk areas. An emergency 2 billion won will go toward restoring areas hit by heavy rains in August, and 6.2 billion won has been set aside for drought countermeasures and water resource development. The budget also includes 2.2 billion won to promote climate-adaptive aquaculture pilot programs and 500 million won to combat pine wilt disease.

Spending on residential conditions and mobility is also included. The province allocated 79.6 billion won for sewage installation and management, 7.2 billion won for rural spatial improvement, and 200 million won to support the demolition of vacant urban buildings. Road and transport measures account for 10.4 billion won in financial support for the Machang and Geoga bridges — including free tolls during public holidays — along with 3.7 billion won to offset losses on unprofitable intercity bus routes and 200 million won to cover operating losses at Sacheon Airport.

To address the low birth rate and bolster childcare and education, the budget sets aside 12.1 billion won for school meal subsidies, 7.7 billion won for childcare worker salaries at daycare centers, 2.7 billion won for postpartum and newborn health care, and 800 million won for fertility treatment for couples struggling to conceive. An additional 2 billion won will support the operation of Changwon National University's Geochang and Namhae campuses, and 2.5 billion won will go toward local government co-funding for the Glocal University 30 initiative.

The plan also includes 2.9 billion won to equip 14 emergency medical institutions in underserved areas, along with national government matching funds covering 21 billion won in housing benefits, 20.8 billion won in medical benefits and 8.5 billion won in livelihood benefits. A transfer of 70 billion won to the special education account has also been budgeted.

"We have strategically allocated funds to areas of genuine need — disaster prevention, living infrastructure, and childbirth and childcare support," Governor Park Wan-su said. The supplementary budget will be finalized after review by the provincial assembly.


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