Jang Dong-hyeok: 'Choo herself is the fiscal straw draining taxpayers'
Jeong Jeom-sik targets Lee Jae Myung, Choo as 'incompetent governors'
Im Yi-ja pledges budget support for firefighter safety
People Power Party leadership on Monday called on Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae to resign over her so-called "fire budget straw" remarks, denouncing them as "the worst gaffe in history" and criticizing her for cutting fire-related budgets while spending public funds on a new official vehicle and a governor's residence. They also raised questions about President Lee Jae Myung's responsibility.
PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok, speaking at a supreme council meeting at the National Assembly, directed his remarks at Choo. "'I'm apologizing because you want an apology' is not an apology," he said. "This is the worst gaffe in history — one that has insulted firefighters twice over and made a mockery of the public."
Jang said Choo had cut 2.65 billion won ($1.97 million) — enough to purchase 25 fire trucks — while replacing a perfectly serviceable official vehicle with a new one. "If there is money to change the governor's car, the right use of taxpayers' money is to replace even one more fire truck," he said.
He added that a 100 million won budget to commemorate fallen firefighters had been cut entirely, while Choo moved into a 155-square-meter apartment as her official residence at a jeonse deposit of 1.2 billion won. "The 'fiscal straw' draining the people of Gyeonggi Province is Choo Mi-ae herself," Jang said.
Jang also turned his criticism toward President Lee. "Protecting public safety is a basic duty, yet the behavior of both the governor and the president is astounding," he said. "If they have no intention of keeping the public safe, they should step down immediately. The people want them to resign — I hope the two of them take each other's hands and step down together."
PPP floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik also took aim at Choo alongside Gangwon Province Governor Woo Sang-ho and Incheon Mayor Park Chan-dae. "The three of them still seem to think they are the chair of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, the chief political secretary at Cheong Wa Dae, and the Democratic Party floor leader," Jeong said. "Choo and Woo are busy hovering around Yeouido politics and offering unsolicited advice, while Mayor Park is acting as the government's spokesperson."
On Gyeonggi Province's fiscal troubles, Jeong said former Governor Lee Jae Myung had "planted the seeds of the fiscal crisis," former Governor Kim Dong-yeon had "set it ablaze," and Choo was now "slashing core welfare budgets indiscriminately without prior consultation with cities and counties, all in the name of resolving the crisis." He added that while President Lee and Choo appeared to be blaming each other, both were "incompetent former and current governors who have thrown Gyeonggi Province into chaos."
PPP policy committee chairwoman Im Yi-ja paid tribute to the late Senior Fire Lieutenant Kim Jin-seok, who died in the line of duty at a factory fire in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, and pledged budget support for firefighter safety. "We will work to actively reflect safety-related spending — including replacing aging firefighting equipment and supporting firefighters in hazardous duties — at the policy committee level," Im said.
mp1256@heraldcorp.com
raining@heraldcorp.com
