▲ A dog (File Photo: Yonhap News)
Gyeonggi Province has temporarily suspended the commissioning of a feasibility study for the establishment of a public animal hospital, a project it is pursuing for the first time among metropolitan local governments in South Korea.
A Gyeonggi Province official stated on July 19, "As Governor Choo Mi-ae has ordered the temporary suspension of research projects by each department to overcome the fiscal crisis, we have decided to put the 'Basic Concept and Feasibility Study' for the provincial animal hospital, which was planned for this month, on hold for now."
The official added, "We have completed the report to the Fiscal Innovation Task Force regarding the project details, and the direction of the project is expected to be finalized following a report to the Governor."
Gyeonggi Province had planned to invest 200 million won to conduct a study by May of next year to verify economic feasibility, including a cost-benefit analysis of the provincial animal hospital, and to review its social viability.
The scope of the study included drafting a basic plan regarding the operational areas, scope of treatment, and medical fees for the hospital, as well as selecting at least one candidate site each in the southern and northern regions of the province.
The project was backed by a survey conducted by the Gyeonggi Provincial Council in July of last year, which showed that 70 percent of residents supported the establishment of a provincial animal hospital.
Previously, Governor Choo convened her first meeting with heads of offices and bureaus on July 10 after taking office, stating, "Gyeonggi Province is burdened with over 7 trillion won in debt, and a supplementary budget reduction in September is inevitable."
She added, "We must conduct a comprehensive review of the remaining 1.4 trillion won in project budgets and boldly adjust them if they are not essential," and instructed that "research projects by departments that have not been directly approved by the Governor should also be temporarily suspended."
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