The Gumi City Council, led by Speaker Park Gyo-sang, held an inauguration ceremony and a report meeting for the ‘Gumi Citizen Participation Budget Activation Research Committee’ on July 30. The committee consists of six council members, including Councilmember Lee Ji-yeon, who serves as the head, along with Jang Mi-gyeong, Kim Jae-woo, Lee Sang-ho, Choo Eun-hui, and Shin Yong-ha. The committee aims to examine the implementation of the citizen participation budget system, identify any issues, develop solutions to promote its activation, and explore ways to enhance citizen involvement in budget management. Councilmember Lee Ji-yeon emphasized the need for real citizen participation in all stages of budget planning, execution, and settlement, and pledged to conduct research to ensure citizen participation throughout the entire budget process. Speaker Park Gyo-sang expressed his appreciation for the committee’s dedication to increasing opportunities for citizen participation in budgeting and strengthening their role. He hopes the committee’s efforts will contribute to realizing a democratic system where citizen opinions are reflected in financial operations. The Citizen Participation Budget Activation Research Committee plans to continue its research activities by examining best practices from other local governments, conducting forums on citizen participation, and exploring ways to expand citizen engagement in the budget process.