A firefighters' union has demanded an apology from Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae over her recent remark describing the fire service as a "budget drain," after five firefighters were injured in a factory blaze.
The Fire Service Headquarters of the Korean Government Employees' Union issued an emergency statement on the 16th, saying that "just three days after Governor Choo Mi-ae called the fire service a 'budget drain,' five fellow firefighters collapsed at a fire scene in that very province." The union demanded that Choo "immediately apologize for remarks that disparaged the dedication of firefighters."
The fire broke out at around 8:38 a.m. that day at a four-story metal injection molding and printing plant in Nae-dong, Ojeong-gu, Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province. Seven people were injured, including five firefighters who responded to the scene and two plant workers.
Choo's remark, which drew the union's criticism, came three days earlier. Asked about the fire service budget during a parliamentary audit of Gyeonggi Province by the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee on the 13th, Choo said the fire service "seems like the biggest and most troublesome drain on our budget." The comment came as she was pointing out that local governments shoulder a substantial share of the budget, including personnel and program costs, even though firefighters have been reclassified as national government employees.
"With the governor disparaging the fire service as a drain on finances, we question whether the command leadership felt pressure to prove the organization's value through results," the union said. "There must be a thorough investigation into whether there were unreasonable orders to enter the building and whether the governor's remarks influenced on-site command." The union called on the government and the National Fire Agency to conduct a full investigation to determine who decided on the interior entry and whether safety measures were adequate.
Visiting the fire scene that day, Choo said Gyeonggi firefighters "responded within three minutes and prevented the damage from spreading." She expressed regret that "the firefighters sent the workers out first and were the last to leave, and could not evacuate safely in time." Choo pledged to "do everything possible for the treatment and recovery of the injured firefighters" and said the province would "immediately strengthen advance inspections and prevention activities at businesses handling hazardous materials."