SUWON — A parliamentary audit of Gyeonggi Province descended into a partisan clash on the 19th over Governor Choo Mi-ae's "fiscal straw" remark about fire services and the manner of her subsequent apology, at a session of the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee held at the provincial government's Yulgok Hall.
The ruling Democratic Party focused on finding alternatives to the fire service funding problem that had prompted the governor's verbal misstep. The opposition People Power Party, by contrast, tightened its criticism, calling her apology inadequate.
Kim Jong-yang of the People Power Party opened his questioning by charging that the governor "made insulting remarks that firefighters can never erase" and had "inflicted secondary harm by saying, 'I apologize because you tell me to apologize.'"
Kim invoked an episode from 2021, when Yoon Suk-yeol, then the People Power Party's presidential candidate, drew heavier criticism after posting a photo of an apple held by a dog on social media amid public outcry over his remarks glorifying former President Chun Doo-hwan. "Isn't this the so-called 'dog apple apology'?" Kim said.
He asked the governor to "express your sincere feelings about your words and actions concerning firefighters."
Choo responded by apologizing again. "I offered an apology in my opening remarks, but once more, I sincerely apologize to the firefighters who were hurt," she said.
Kim Mi-ae, also of the People Power Party, was unmoved. "Did you have to use the expression 'fiscal straw' to improve fire service funding and working conditions? How can you express desperation with words that leave bruises on the hearts of firefighters? I can never agree," she said. "Now is the time to answer their noble sacrifice with budgets and action."
Yoo Sang-bum of the same party added further criticism. "She made an appropriate apology, but the remark in the middle — 'I apologize because you want an apology' — seems to reveal the governor's character, and that is a part she will inevitably continue to be criticized for," he said.
Moon Jung-bok of the Democratic Party requested a procedural statement after Choo finished her response, arguing that Kim Jong-yang's questioning had no bearing on policy matters under the committee's jurisdiction.
Kim shot back, "Did you come here to speak for Governor Choo Mi-ae?" Moon replied, "Did you come here to audit policy?"
When Moon said Kim's remarks were inappropriate, Kim countered, "The public will judge that." Bok Ki-wang of the Democratic Party, who led the audit team, tried to mediate, but the two lawmakers traded raised voices for some time.
Unlike at the Public Administration and Security Committee audit where the "fiscal straw" controversy first erupted, the Democratic Party devoted considerable time to the burden local governments bear for fire service funding — the concern the governor had raised — and to possible remedies.
"The dedication and sacrifice of firefighters must be respected in any political dispute," Moon said. "But pointing out the inappropriateness of an expression and concluding that she regarded firefighters as a target of wasteful spending must clearly be distinguished."
"The governor's remark came while she was explaining a funding structure in which local governments still bear most of the personnel and program costs for firefighters, even after they were converted to national civil servants," she said. "Respecting firefighters' dedication and strengthening the state's responsibility for fire service funding are by no means in conflict."
Jeon Yong-gi said the Democratic Party was at fault. "The Democratic Party was wrong in this controversy. But correcting it is also the role of the government and the ruling party," he said. "The governor should finish what she started during her time as party leader and take active responsibility for resolving this issue."
Boo Seung-chan then defended the governor. "She committed a grave error with the 'fire service straw' remark, but she has apologized sufficiently," he said. "About 90% of the fire service budget is borne by local governments even though firefighters are national civil servants — isn't that sucking up finances?"
Kim Eun-hye of the People Power Party objected. "I doubted my own ears when I heard a remark to the effect that, because local finances bear 90% of the fire service budget and personnel costs even though these are national positions, it amounts to 'sucking up the budget,'" she said. "On a day when we are laying to rest firefighters killed in the line of duty, such a remark should never have been made."
Kim demanded a formal apology, and the audit was briefly suspended as the commotion between the two parties continued.