Choo Mi-ae appeals to Han Byeong-do and Lee Gwang-jae for an oxygen tank to solve the financial crisis.

“Firefighting finances should be borne by the government in a ratio of 56 to 44… Proposal to increase local consumption tax from 25% to 40%”

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Oh Gyu-jin and Jeong Yeon-sol = Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae met with National Assembly Budget and Accounts Special Committee Chairman Lee Kwang-jae and Democratic Party of Korea Floor Leader Han Byeong-do on the 27th and requested the National Assembly's cooperation to resolve Gyeonggi Province's 'financial crisis'.

After meeting at the National Assembly that day, Governor Chu told reporters, "The available financial resources for next year are only 1.5 trillion won, or 43% (of 2026)," and added, "In fact, I made a desperate appeal to please give us oxygen tanks so that we can solve the financial crisis and financial emergency."

Citing a report from the National Assembly Research Service, he said, "Firefighting affairs are stipulated as autonomous affairs in the law, but 43% are national affairs, 23% are joint national and local affairs, and 34% are local affairs."

He went on to explain, “(Chairman Lee and floor leader Han) said they sympathized with this,” adding, “What proportion of national responsibility will be determined could also be a standard, and they seem to be saying that they will study various measures.”

He also added, "The goal of 7 to 3 in the distribution ratio of national taxes to local governments was adopted as National Task No. 53, and to achieve this goal, we proposed raising the local consumption tax from 25% to 40%. We asked you once again to help ensure that it is implemented immediately."

In addition, in a meeting with Chairman Lee, Governor Chu said, "If you leave your home in Seoul and enter a nursing home in Gyeonggi Province, a contradiction arises where you pay taxes in Seoul and receive welfare services from Gyeonggi Province. We discussed finding an appropriate solution through legislation and policy."