Waves Off Question on 'Fiscal Straw'... President Lee: "Would Any Sum Be Too Much?"

[Anchor]

Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae has become embroiled in fierce controversy after describing the firefighting budget as a "troublesome fiscal straw." At the scene of a fire in Bucheon where firefighters were injured, Governor Choo avoided answering questions regarding the issue, while President Lee Jae-myung remarked, "Compared to their dedication, risking their lives, could any fortune be too much to give them?"

Reporter Kim Jin-u reports.

[Reporter]

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

Although she wished for a speedy recovery for the injured firefighters,

[Choo Mi-ae / Gyeonggi Governor: "I truly thank the firefighters for their courage and dedication."]

The firefighters did not make eye contact, and some turned their backs on her.

When a reporter asked a question regarding her "fiscal straw" remark, Governor Choo waved her hand and refused to answer.

[Choo Mi-ae / Gyeonggi Governor: (Governor, firefighter unions are protesting over your 'fiscal straw' remark...) "Do not bring that up."]

During a parliamentary audit of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government on October 13, Governor Choo said "I agree" to an opposition lawmaker's point that "the state-funded portion of firefighting finances should be increased," before making the following remarks.

[Choo Mi-ae / Gyeonggi Governor (October 13, parliamentary audit of Gyeonggi Provincial Government): "Fire services seem to be the biggest troublesome fiscal straw. In personnel costs alone, it will eat up 1.1 trillion won by 2027."]

The day after the remarks were made, the firefighter branch of the Korean Government Employees' Union, affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, demanded an apology from Governor Choo, calling it an "insulting act" that defamed the honor of 70,000 firefighting civil servants nationwide, while the firefighter union affiliated with the Federation of Korean Trade Unions also expressed regret, stating that firefighting is not a straw that drains someone's pocket.

The Gyeonggi Provincial Government issued an explanation regarding Governor Choo's remarks, stating they were "intended to emphasize that local governments still bear most of the financial burden even after firefighting personnel were transitioned to national civil servant status."

After the Bucheon fire occurred, the Korean Government Employees' Union's firefighter branch issued another statement demanding Governor Choo "get on her knees and apologize," and the People Power Party also criticized her remarks for devaluing the dedication of firefighters.

Amid this situation, President Lee Jae-myung expressed sympathy for the injured firefighters at the opening ceremony of the National Sports Festival held in Jeju yesterday (October 16), saying the following.

[President Lee Jae-myung: "Compared to their dedication, risking their own lives for the lives and safety of the people, could any fortune be too much to give them?"]

The Democratic Party released a commentary stating, "We sincerely apologize to firefighting civil servants and their families who were hurt by the expression used by Governor Choo."

(Video by Lee Seung-jin)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.