Choo Mi-ae: "President's Approval Ratings Fall Due to Prosecutor Reform; Appointing Head of Serious Crime Investigation Agency Is a Contradiction"

Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae said today (September 10), "I believe the president's approval ratings are declining solely because of prosecutor reform, and there is no other reason."

Appearing on the YouTube channel "Kim Ou-joon's Humble Opinion News Factory" this morning, Governor Choo answered this when asked about the reasons behind the drop in President Lee Jae-myung's approval ratings.

She added, "When the nation lost its sovereignty, independence was the ultimate livelihood reform; afterward, democratization was the ultimate livelihood reform. Today, prosecutor reform is that reform, and I think it is even more important than constitutional amendment," and noted, "If we fear a backlash over prosecutor reform—our primary reform of this era—doubt will flood in, and that is how supporters feel."

Governor Choo also freely expressed her positions on other pending political issues, including the appointment of the candidate for the inaugural head of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency and the organizational structure of the Prosecution Service.

Regarding the appointment of candidate Kim Ji-yong as head of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency, she criticized it by mentioning his background in the investigation team for the Kim Hak-kee travel ban case, stating, "Placing someone who excelled in twisting distortions into a position that requires good investigative skills is the height of contradiction."

Concerning the Prosecution Service's organizational structure, which has sparked controversy for maintaining the staffing quota of prosecutors, she said, "Carrying over the organization in its prosecution-centered structure exposes the prosecutors' inner thoughts that they view the introduction of the democratic judicial principle of checks and balances through the separation of investigation and indictment as a fiction," adding, "As for supporting staff for prosecutors, I believe two staff members for every three prosecutors is sufficient."

Governor Choo reiterated the fiscal crisis in Gyeonggi Province that she has consistently emphasized since taking office.

She stated, "Gyeonggi Province is a non-subsidized local government that mainly relies on real estate acquisition taxes. However, various areas within the province are designated as land transaction permit zones, and with the current government pursuing public housing policies, tax revenues continue to decline," and added, "That is why the local tax system needs a complete overhaul, and I have discussed this necessity with the president."

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