A conflict between President Lee Jae-myung and Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae over the nomination of Kim Ji-yong as head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency spilled into a parliamentary audit of the provincial government, taking the form of a proxy battle. With Choo publicly opposing the president's pick, pent-up frustration among Lee's allies turned into concentrated criticism directed at a provincial governor from their own party. Choo did not back down from her position that Kim is unfit for the post.
At the National Assembly Public Administration and Security Committee's audit of Gyeonggi Province on the 13th, lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party criticized Choo over her declaration of a fiscal emergency and the way she cut the budget. Rep. Lee Kwang-hee of the Democratic Party said, "Isn't it backward to notify cities and counties of budget cuts while effectively declaring default, before even consulting or reaching out to the National Assembly, local governments or the provincial council?" He added, "There is considerable concern about criticism that you are acting unilaterally." Rep. Chae Hyun-il of the Democratic Party also said, "After the emergency declaration, residents were confused, and from the standpoint of the Democratic Party as the governing party, it was quite awkward." Rep. Lee Hae-sik of the Democratic Party, citing delays in senior personnel appointments, said, "Personnel decisions are everything — they should light a fire in employees' hearts, but instead you are pouring cold water on them."
Behind the ruling party lawmakers' offensive against a governor from their own party lies internal conflict within the governing bloc over Kim's nomination. Choo has labeled Kim, whom President Lee nominated, a prosecutor aligned with former President Yoon and characterized the appointment as running counter to the purpose of prosecution reform, demanding that the nomination be withdrawn. Party leaders including Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok sought to defuse the dispute by stressing respect for the president's appointment authority, but Choo held firm in her opposition. Tensions peaked ahead of the audit when Choo publicly objected to Democratic Party lawmakers' requests for documents on her private schedule. A Democratic Party official said, "There were many voices within the party that Choo should be warned over her public criticism of the president," adding, "That current also showed up at the Gyeonggi Province audit."
Despite the criticism from Democratic Party lawmakers, Choo reaffirmed her position that Kim is unfit. "Based on my experience in public office, I stated precisely, with grounds and examples, that he is highly unsuitable as the first head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency," Choo said. "I thought that if someone who knows this stayed silent, it would become a historical error." She added, "I spoke for the sake of the country, based on a sense of responsibility and conscience as a public official."
Choo also dismissed claims that her confrontation with President Lee is a move aimed at the next presidential election. "If I had been looking to pick a fight with the president or to position myself for the presidency, I would have been applauded for hiding the province's fiscal situation and spending borrowed money instead," she said. "But my conscience and the law would not allow me to do that." Asked whether expressions the president recently posted on X, formerly Twitter, such as "living in luxury on taxpayers' money," were aimed at her, Choo said, "I do not see it as a post directed at me."