Jang Dong-hyeok Mourns Fallen Firefighter, Vows to Fix Firefighting "Budget Ping-Pong"

Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the People Power Party, has pledged to fix the so-called "budget ping-pong" occurring in some local governments on the grounds that firefighters hold national civil servant status.

On the morning of October 17, Leader Jang posted a message on his social media mourning the late Fire Lieutenant Kim Jin-seok, who died in the line of duty while battling a factory fire in Bucheon.

"I was told that he was the first to leap into the flames before tragedy struck," Jang wrote. "My heart aches so deeply."

He continued, "The state must provide generous support so that firefighters can carry out their duties more safely," emphasizing that "investing in firefighting is not merely for firefighters. It is the most fundamental investment to protect public safety."

Leader Jang also leveled criticism at Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae, who has recently sparked controversy over her remarks describing firefighting finances as a "fiscal straw."

Directly targeting her, Jang said, "Gyeonggi Governor Choo Mi-ae has still not apologized for her reckless 'fiscal straw' remark," asking, "In the face of a firefighter's death in the line of duty, and before the tears of firefighters who have been turned away, do you not feel even a shred of guilt?"

He added, "The People Power Party will examine the reality of firefighting budgets from scratch to formulate proper alternatives," pledging, "We will definitely correct the reality of playing 'budget ping-pong' on the excuse that they are national civil servants."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.