Asked About 'Financial Straw' Remark, Choo Mi-ae Waves It Off: "Apologize on Your Knees"

[Anchor]

Amid news of firefighters being injured, Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae, who sparked controversy by referring to the fire service as a "financial straw," visited the site of a fire in Bucheon. While firefighters' unions are demanding a public apology for the remarks made during a parliamentary audit three days ago, Governor Choo avoided answering questions regarding the issue.

Reporter Kim Kwan-jin reports.

[Reporter]

Canceling her scheduled itinerary, Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae visited the fire site in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, where firefighters were injured, and wished for the speedy recovery of the injured firefighters.

[Choo Mi-ae / Gyeonggi Province Governor: I am truly grateful to the firefighters for their courage and dedication.]

However, when a reporter asked about Governor Choo's controversial "financial straw" remark, she waved her hand and refused to answer.

[Choo Mi-ae / Gyeonggi Province Governor: (Governor, firefighters' unions are protesting over your 'financial straw' remark....) Don't talk about that.]

On October 13, during the parliamentary audit of Gyeonggi Province, Governor Choo said she "agreed" with an opposition lawmaker's point that the national government's share of fire service funding should be increased, adding the following.

[Choo Mi-ae / Gyeonggi Province Governor (Gyeonggi Provincial Parliamentary Audit, October 13): The fire service seems to be the biggest, most troublesome financial straw. Personnel costs alone will eat up 1.1 trillion won in 2027.]

On October 14, the day after the remarks were made, the Firefighters' Division of the Korean Government Employees' Union, affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, demanded an apology from Governor Choo, calling it an "insult" that defamed the honor of the country's 70,000 firefighters. Yesterday, the firefighters' union affiliated with the Federation of Korean Trade Unions also expressed regret, stating that the fire service is not a straw draining someone's pockets.

Gyeonggi Province offered an explanation regarding Governor Choo's remarks, stating that they were "intended to emphasize that local governments bear most of the financial burden even though firefighters have transitioned to national public servant status."

Following today's fire accident in Bucheon, the Korean Government Employees' Union's firefighters' division issued another statement, demanding that Governor Choo "apologize on your knees," asking, "Can you still call them a 'financial straw' after seeing fallen firefighters?"

The People Power Party also criticized the remarks, saying they devalued firefighters' dedication.

[Jeong Hee-yong / People Power Party Secretary General: Do you consider the dedication of firefighters protecting the lives and safety of citizens merely as a burden draining finances?]

The Democratic Party, to which Governor Choo belongs, released a commentary stating, "We offer our sincere apologies to the firefighters and their families who were hurt by the expression Governor Choo used."

Video by Oh Young-choon, Shin Dong-hwan, Kim Yong-woo | Video Editing by Jeon Min-kyu | Graphics by Yang Gi-tae
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.