The leadership of the People Power Party escalated its attacks on Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae, who drew criticism for her remarks about a "straw sucking fire-service finances." People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk pointed out that Choo had cut the province's fire service budget while replacing her official vehicle, saying "the straw draining the budget is Governor Choo herself," and called on her to resign.
Speaking at a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly on the 19th, Jang said, "Governor Choo cut 2.65 billion won from the budget for purchasing fire trucks, and that is enough money to buy 25 fire trucks." He added, "And then she left a perfectly good car behind and bought a new one. Using that money to replace even one more fire truck would be the proper way to spend taxpayers' money."
He also said, "The budget for commemorating firefighters who died in the line of duty was a mere 100 million won, and she cut even that in full." He added, "The jeonse deposit alone on the 48-pyeong apartment she moved into as her official residence is 1.2 billion won. The fiscal straw draining residents' taxes is Choo Mi-ae herself."
Jang criticized Choo for involving herself in national politics rather than focusing on provincial affairs. "Governor Choo doesn't even have enough time to look after residents' safety, yet she is meddling in national politics and being called the 'Yeouido governor,'" he said. "And President Lee Jae-myung played golf with his family even as a navy service member lay dying, and when a stabbing rampage occurred, his first priority was going to see 'Bukangi.' The public wants them to resign, so I hope the two of them will step down together."
People Power Party floor leader Chung Jom-sig also went on the offensive, raising the issue of Gyeonggi Province's finances. "Former Governor Lee Jae-myung planted the seeds of Gyeonggi Province's fiscal crisis, former Governor Kim Dong-yeon set it on fire, and Governor Choo, claiming to resolve that crisis, is slashing core welfare budgets at will without prior consultation with cities and counties," Chung said. "President Lee and Governor Choo may appear to be criticizing and fighting each other, but both are incompetent governors, past and present, who have thrown the Gyeonggi provincial government into chaos."
The party also took aim at the Democratic Party's push to impeach Supreme Court Chief Justice Jo Hee-de and its plan for a special counsel to withdraw indictments. "If the bench changes with the regular reassignment of judges in February next year, President Lee's trial could resume, so they are colluding with the Constitutional Court to suspend the chief justice from his duties," Jang said. "Impeaching an innocent chief justice to paralyze the Supreme Court is a parliamentary coup that destroys the separation of powers — the real insurrection."
On the Democratic Party's plan to pursue a special counsel on withdrawing indictments after the parliamentary audit, he said, "They have thrown the people's livelihoods aside and are going all in on saving Lee Jae-myung." He warned, "Go ahead and push through either the chief justice's impeachment or the withdrawal of indictments. While protecting an unqualified president, you will all end up in prison together."