SUWON — Lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties pressed Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae on the 13th over her austerity drive following a declaration of fiscal emergency and her frequent comments on national political issues, at a parliamentary audit of the province held by the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee at Yulgok Hall in the provincial government complex.
Rep. Park Sang-woong of the People Power Party opened his questioning by saying, "More than 100 days have passed since the governor took office, but there are no words that suggest responsibility for people's livelihoods. Instead, there are claims that she frequently brings up Kim Ji-yong's name in connection with national politics." He added, "There is public opinion that you have thrown aside the province's household affairs and been hovering around the national political arena."
"Take a cold, hard look at yourself. Among the posts on your personal social media, eight targeted Kim Ji-yong, the nominee to head the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, and 14 concerned national political issues such as supplementary investigative authority," he said. "Has there been no change in your view that the nominee is unqualified, or in your convictions?"
Choo declined to answer, saying, "This is a parliamentary audit. I will speak about my personal political convictions on another occasion."
Park continued, "When you targeted the nominee, you used strongly critical words such as secret agent, Nazi war criminal and Eichmann. You have been calling for the nomination to be withdrawn, and from the standpoint of provincial residents, it is impossible not to wonder whether you still hold that view."
Choo again refused to answer, saying it was "not appropriate."
"My provincial administration work and on-the-ground activities related to people's livelihoods are broadcast live through the official YouTube channel and GTV, the provincial government's broadcasting service, and remain on record," Choo said. "The claim that I am neglecting provincial affairs is inappropriate. I merely expressed my views on weekends or late at night after work hours to fulfill my duty and responsibility regarding prosecution reform. There has not been the slightest neglect of provincial affairs."
When Rep. Suh Myung-ok of the People Power Party asked whether she felt any responsibility for the delay in appointing the agency's head, Choo brushed the question aside, saying, "It is difficult for me to answer on the question of responsibility."
"My remarks were made outside hours related to provincial administration work, within limits that caused no harm to provincial affairs, and according to my conscience in order to fulfill my responsibility," Choo stressed again.
Lawmakers of the Democratic Party of Korea, which shares a party affiliation with Choo, also focused on criticism rather than defense, though the intensity differed. Two lawmakers who previously served as heads of local-level governments were particularly critical of Choo's management of the province.
Rep. Chae Hyun-il, a former head of Seoul's Yeongdeungpo District, began his questioning by saying, "I believe administration and politics are different." He noted, "Interior and Safety Minister Yoon Ho-jung said Gyeonggi Province's finances are not at the caution or crisis stage. In effect, he answered that there is no basis or reason to declare a fiscal emergency."
"On what objective standards and fiscal outlook did you declare this an emergency situation?" Chae pressed.
He added, "There are ample alternatives available, such as expanding the ceiling on local bond issuance with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, but you declared a fiscal emergency without going through such procedures. Provincial residents are confused, and from the standpoint of the Democratic Party as the governing party, it is quite bewildering."
Choo countered, "Debt does not show up easily no matter how much it grows. Gyeonggi Province's debt is growing at 30%, three times the national average. Its liabilities-to-assets ratio exceeds 15%, the highest in the country, and it has issued local bonds for five consecutive years." She added, "Interest payments alone come to 390 million won ($270,000) a day, and next year they will exceed 400 million won. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety now understands the seriousness of Gyeonggi Province's finances as well."
Rep. Lee Hae-sik of the same party, a former head of Seoul's Gangdong District, pointed to a drop in staff morale over the postponement of the regular second-half personnel reshuffle to January next year and urged that it be carried out promptly. Choo did not accept the call, saying an organizational review and redesign of duties to overcome the fiscal crisis came first.
"In running a provincial government, how you handle personnel for staff is the governor's most important duty," Lee said. "I understand that no personnel moves have been made recently for grades 2 through 5."
Choo cited the fiscal crisis as the reason for delaying senior-level appointments. "In a fiscal emergency, someone has to be able to explain priority tasks," she said. "We also need to be able to seek the understanding of the provincial council and answer its questions."
Lee raised his voice, however, saying, "What does carrying out personnel moves have to do with finances?"
"There are more than 1,130 people from grade 5 up to grade 2. Think how anxious it must make staff not to know what will happen with personnel," Lee said. "For staff, performance evaluations and promotions matter most."
"You should be lighting a fire in the staff's hearts, but the governor is pouring cold water on them," he said. "I am told morale among the staff has fallen far too low."
Choo said, "We need to assess overlapping duties and evaluate the work, and then examine accountability and how the roles connect," setting the timing of the reshuffle firmly at around January next year.
Choo also pushed back strongly that day against the controversy surrounding her official residence and official vehicle.
When Rep. Joo Ho-young of the People Power Party said, "There are claims that Gyeonggi Province emphasizes a fiscal crisis while the governor does not show herself setting an example," Choo said, "The official residence will naturally be returned when the jeonse lease, a Korean lease system requiring a large lump-sum deposit instead of monthly rent, expires. I think it would be hard to compare that to luxury or extravagance."
On the controversy over the official vehicle, she stressed that the replacement had been decided before she took office, during the tenure of former Governor Kim Dong-yeon.
"It appears the vehicle's useful service life had passed and a new car had to be arranged," Choo said. "It happened before I took office, so I did not approve it and was not aware of it at the time."
"On checking, I found the previous governor decided on the purchase, and in line with a recommendation to buy eco-friendly vehicles, an eco-friendly car was purchased, which can cut maintenance and management costs considerably," she said.
Choo also addressed suggestions in some quarters that a recent social media post by the president — criticizing "people who have lived their whole lives as high-ranking officials, eating and dressing well thanks to their parents without hardship, and who find it hard to understand the hard lives and perceptions of ordinary citizens" — was aimed at her. "I do not think it was aimed at me, because I am not someone who does not know about people's livelihoods, nor have I lived a life of extravagance that harms others," she said.