“Reduce the fire department budget and purchase official vehicles… Firefighters are only used as political tools.”
Boo Seung-chan was also criticized for his statement that ‘firefighting helps keep finances going’… “A miserable self-portrait of the ruling party”
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporters Kwon Hee-won and Noh Seon-woong = On the 19th, the People Power Party recalled Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae, who sparked controversy with her remarks about 'firefighting finance straws', and the Democratic Party of Korea poured out crossfire, saying that she should be expelled and disciplined at the party level.
Shin Dong-wook, a member of the Supreme Council, said at the Supreme Council meeting on this day, "I think that a person with the wrong perception of Gyeonggi-do residents as second-class citizens, a greed to buy a new car while reducing all budgets while not reducing one's own welfare budget, and a prejudice that ignores Gyeonggi-do as a whole should not be in the position of Gyeonggi-do governor."
He continued, “The fundamental problem is that we have no choice but to raise serious doubts about whether Gyeonggi Governor Choo Mi-ae, who considers firefighters to be ‘financial straws,’ can truly protect the lives and safety of 13 million Gyeonggi residents,” and added, “Even under the current law, residents can recall the governor. Gyeonggi residents, please come forward.”
At the same time, he pointed out, “In 40 of the 119 regional units in Gyeonggi-do, only two people are riding in a fire truck that should seat four people, and the budget for purchasing fire trucks has been reduced by one out of four, and even the budget for memorial events for fallen firefighters has been eliminated.” He pointed out, “In fact, Governor Chu himself purchased a new car worth 77 million won, and is being criticized for being the only person in the country to even pay for an official residence worth 1.22 billion won for himself with taxes.”
Senior spokesperson Park Seong-hoon said in a commentary, "Kim Min-seok, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, has once again closed his mouth on Governor Chu's expulsion and disciplinary action," and criticized, "What the Democratic Party should do right now is not the sudden nonsense of impeaching Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, but the recall and immediate expulsion and disciplinary action of Governor Choo Mi-ae, who despises firefighters and manipulates provincial administration."
Also, referring to CEO Kim's 'controversy over early morning encouragement visit to the fire station', he said, "The two people's shallow perceptions revealed in front of heroes in uniform are surprisingly similar," and asked, "For them, firefighters are not heroes to be respected, but political tools to mobilize and use when necessary?"
The People Power Party also continued its offensive regarding the report that Representative Kim had parked his vehicle in a parking area reserved for emergency patients for about 30 minutes while visiting the grave of a firefighter who died on duty the day before.
Spokesperson Ham In-kyung said in a commentary, "Emergency patients need every second of their lives. If such space is used for the convenience of politicians, it is not something to be taken lightly," and criticized, "He paid condolences to fallen firefighters and said that the state would take care of the safety and lives of firefighters without fail, but he failed to look into how the space for emergency patients was being used while he was paying condolences."
On this day, the People Power Party also went on the offensive when Democratic Party lawmaker Boo Seung-chan defended Governor Chu during the Gyeonggi Province government audit of the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee and said, “Isn’t fire service really sucking up finances?”
Chief Spokesperson Park issued a commentary after the remarks and criticized, "The repeated absurd remarks are a miserable self-portrait that shows the moral bankruptcy of the ruling party," and "Where on earth does the heartlessness and vulgarity of pointing out the budget books in front of the sacrifice of one's life come from?"
He continued, "Apologizing with your mouth, standing behind your back, and ridiculing you in the National Assembly. This is the essence of the Democratic Party's style of apology," and urged, "State a clear position on Governor Chu and Deputy Representative's outrageous remarks and take responsible action."
