Park Ji-won: “Choo Mi-ae is talking utter nonsense ... the party leadership should issue a warning”

[Financial News] Choo Mi-ae, governor of Gyeonggi Province, apologized over her so-called “fire service fiscal drain” remark, but questions about her sincerity continue. Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmaker Park Ji-won said, “I think the party leadership should at least issue a warning.”

On the 19th, Park appeared on SBS radio’s “Kim Tae-hyun’s Political Show” and said, “Governor Choo keeps talking utter nonsense.” He criticized her, adding, “If she was going to apologize, she should have apologized clearly. By saying, ‘I’ll apologize because you told me to,’ she gives people something to latch onto when they already dislike her.”
At the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee audit of Gyeonggi Province on the 13th, Governor Choo made remarks about the fire service budget, including, “The fire service seems like the biggest, most troublesome drain on public finances,” “It eats up 1.1 trillion won,” and “1.7 trillion won will be spent,” sparking controversy.
After visiting the funeral home and paying her respects to the late Fire Lieutenant Kim Jin-seok, who died in the line of duty in a factory fire in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, on the 17th, Governor Choo said, “If my remarks were conveyed differently from my intention, I express my deep regret. And since you are asking for an apology, I offer one wholeheartedly.” Her remarks sparked further controversy.
Park said, “What Governor Choo says is right,” adding, “The fire service was brought under the national government, but when all the budgets are handed over to local governments, problems arise with equipment and other matters.”
He continued, “Even so, Seoul and Gyeonggi are better off. Firefighting and welfare responsibilities have been transferred to local governments, so the disparities are significant. She could have explained those problems point by point as a local government head; hearing expressions like ‘budgetary drain’ and ‘I’m apologizing because you told me to’ is unpleasant.”

Park raised his voice, saying, “Those who committed insurrection don’t even apologize. There are even people who say, ‘If you’re jealous of the money coming in as prison funds, go to prison.’ Jang Dong-hyeok and the others on the other side never apologize.” He added, “Still, our Democratic Party of Korea apologizes when it has done wrong. She should have simply come clean and said, ‘I was wrong.’”
He continued, “I think the party leadership should at least issue a warning to Governor Choo. The party needs to maintain discipline, and the ones who ultimately suffer from a mistake like this are President Lee Jae Myung and the Democratic Party of Korea, aren’t they?”
He added, “It’s the party’s job to issue a warning and carefully guide things so that this doesn’t happen in other regions. It would help if Governor Choo once again sincerely said, ‘That wasn’t what I truly meant,’ and showed some consideration for the fire service budget.”
Meanwhile, in her opening remarks at the National Assembly’s Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee audit of Gyeonggi Province that day, Governor Choo apologized again to firefighters, saying, “I sincerely apologize to all the firefighters whose feelings were hurt by my recent remarks.”
Governor Choo emphasized, “I take firefighters’ dedication more seriously than anyone. I will pay even closer attention to their safety and working conditions.” She added, “I once again offer my deepest condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families and everyone in the fire service community.”
[email protected] Kim Su-yeon Reporter