Regarding the shortage in fire service funding resulting from the reduction of the fire safety grant tax, Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-jung stated his position: "For the urgent shortage of fire service resources, I hope it will be covered with funds supported by the local account of the Future Response Fund."

Meeting with reporters at the Government Complex Sejong, Minister Yoon said, "Because the structure for covering the fire service budget is quite vulnerable, countermeasures must be established."

He added, "We will also seek ways to provide support to non-grant recipient local governments," and noted, "A more solid measure should be prepared while discussing local fiscal decentralization."

Regarding Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae's recent proposal to convert a portion of the local education tax on tobacco consumption, which is scheduled to expire, into the regional resources and facilities tax for fire services, Minister Yoon expressed reluctance, explaining that the government has already submitted a bill to convert those funds into a local housing welfare tax.

Minister Yoon stated, "A plan to convert the expiring tobacco tax portion into a local housing welfare tax to utilize it for the supply of rental housing or social housing has already been approved by the Cabinet and submitted as a government bill," adding, "It is somewhat difficult to modify that part."

However, he added, "If there is insistence to the end that the expiring funds must also be used for fire services, we could consider ways to split and utilize them."

In response to Governor Choo's argument that the state's responsibility for fire service personnel costs should be expanded as the central government's personnel authority was strengthened following the nationalization of fire service officers, Minister Yoon refuted it, saying, "That is not true at all."

Minister Yoon explained, "At the time of the transition to national civil servant status, personnel authority over fire service officers of rank 5 and above went to the President, but through an enforcement decree, the personnel authority over fire service officers of rank 5 and above—excluding the Commissioner of the National Fire Agency, regional fire headquarters chiefs, and fire academy heads—was delegated back to the provincial governors and metropolitan mayors."

He pointed out, "In reality, personnel authority remains exactly as it was before the transition to national civil servant status, with no change at all," adding, "An incorrect argument was presented."

Regarding the progress of the inspection into Lim Eun-jung, head of the Gwangju Regional Office of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency, who publicly criticized Major Crimes Investigation Agency Chief Kim Ji-yong, Minister Yoon said, "I expect there will be a report once the inspection is concluded, but I have not received a report yet."

He explained, "Because the inspection of Chief Lim stems from what happened during the appointment process of Chief Kim Ji-yong, emotions could potentially get involved," adding, "I understand that reports are not made to the chief of the agency until the inspection concludes, and that the deputy chief receives reports and directs the matter."

Regarding the creation of an organization related to the Major Crimes Investigation Agency within the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, he said, "As there are various duties related to the agency, I believe an organization needs to be established, but discussions are underway regarding what kind of organization should be created."

However, he drew the line at the possibility of establishing a large-scale organization like the former Prosecution Bureau of the Ministry of Justice.

Minister Yoon explained, "The prosecution did not have the authority over personnel and budget formulation, as the Ministry of Justice held both. The investigative command authority also belonged to the Justice Minister," adding, "Even regarding the police, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety only has the authority to recommend personnel appointments."

He continued, "We judged that establishing the Police Bureau was excessive," adding, "Currently, we have policy cooperation officers serving as liaisons with the police, and I think an organization for the Major Crimes Investigation Agency will likely be formed at a similar level."

Regarding the appointment of the vacant National Police Agency Commissioner General position, he did not specify a timeline.

Minister Yoon said, "The police is a hierarchical society, and there is no precedent for a two-rank promotion in appointing the Commissioner General," adding, "I heard that the minimum period taken to be promoted to Commissioner General after being appointed as Senior Superintendent General has so far been six months."

He continued, "In the process of holding individuals accountable regarding last year's rebellion, the Commissioner General was suspended from duty until the impeachment decision, and it was also not easy to determine how Senior Superintendents General participated in the rebellion, which delayed appointments."

(Photo: Yonhap News)