[Anchor]

Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae, who has publicly voiced sharp opposition to President Lee Jae-myung's nomination of Kim Ji-yong as chief of the Major Crime Investigation Agency, fired direct broadsides today (October 13) during the parliamentary audit of Gyeonggi Province. Governor Choo launched a fierce attack, calling him not only a "pro-Yoon prosecutor" but also "unfit as a public official," asserting that remaining silent would be a "historic error," seemingly mindful of criticism from within her party.

Reporter Kim Kwan-jin reports.

[Reporter]

At today's parliamentary audit of Gyeonggi Province.

When a conservative opposition lawmaker asked whether she still viewed Major Crime Investigation Agency chief nominee Kim Ji-yong—who has sparked conflict within the ruling bloc—as a "pro-Yoon prosecutor," Governor Choo Mi-ae, a member of the ruling party, delivered a direct, calculated response.

[Choo Mi-ae / Gyeonggi Province Governor: He is not only a pro-Yoon prosecutor, but unfit for that position as a public official.]

Although President Lee Jae-myung and ruling party leader Kim Min-seok had publicly called for restraint, Governor Choo did not back down from her criticism.

[Choo Mi-ae / Gyeonggi Province Governor: Because I believe it would be a historic error if I, knowing what I know, were to remain silent.]

Questions and answers also followed regarding whom President Lee was targeting two days ago on social media when he criticized those who "live in luxury on ordinary citizens' taxes while cutting welfare budgets for ordinary citizens."

[Joo Ho-young / People Power Party Lawmaker: There is speculation that what the president posted on social media was aimed at Governor Choo.]

[Choo Mi-ae / Gyeonggi Province Governor: I have never lived a life of luxury while harming others, so I do not believe it was aimed at me.]

Lawmakers of the People Power Party accused Governor Choo of "abandoning provincial administration to focus on national politics."

[Park Sang-woong / People Power Party Lawmaker: Weren't these past 100 days spent abandoning Gyeonggi Province's affairs to meddle in national politics?]

[Choo Mi-ae / Gyeonggi Province Governor: I can say that there has not been the slightest neglect of provincial administration.]

Democratic Party lawmakers brought up Governor Choo's declaration of a financial emergency in Gyeonggi Province and the cuts to the welfare budget.

[Lee Kwang-hee / Democratic Party Lawmaker: There is criticism that, rather than focusing on consultation and consensus, you are acting unilaterally...]

[Kim Young-bae / Democratic Party Lawmaker: One of our national tasks is fiscal expansion. The supplementary budget cut by the governor runs counter to this.]

[Choo Mi-ae / Gyeonggi Province Governor: What frustrated me most when reviewing the public livelihood budget was that there wasn't even funding for meals for underprivileged children.]

When a People Power Party lawmaker asked about nominee Kim Ji-yong's confirmation hearing scheduled for tomorrow, Governor Choo said she had been waiting for the hearing and suggested calling her as a witness if they wanted a proper hearing.

(Camera: Oh Young-choon and Kim Yong-woo | Video Editing: Oh Young-taek)