Kim Min-seok, Choo Mi-ae's 'financial straw': "A deep apology... requesting an apology from Qin"

On the 17th, Kim Min-seok, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, directly apologized to Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae, a member of the Democratic Party, for her so-called 'firefighting finance straw' remarks.

Representative Kim said in a press notice that day, "On behalf of the party, I would like to offer a deep apology to the firefighters and citizens who were hurt by the remarks of the party's provincial governor," and added, "I have also requested a deep and introspective apology from the parties involved."

Representative Kim said, “The party will take steps after deep deliberation to prevent such inappropriate remarks by party officials from happening again in the future.”

Spokesperson Lee Yong-woo the day before and floor spokesperson Lee Ju-hee this day apologized in official comments, and Representative Kim also apologized for Governor Chu's remarks.

Previously, Governor Chu caused controversy by saying, "Firefighting is like a financial straw that causes the biggest headache," regarding local governments' financial problems during the National Assembly's administrative and security committee audit on the 13th.

With the death of the late Kim Jin-seok, a member of the fire department who responded to a factory fire in Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do, criticism of Governor Chu is growing.

Governor Chu visited the Bucheon fire site the day before, but did not answer reporters' questions about his financial straw remarks.

Representative Kim also said, “We offer our deepest condolences on the passing of Fire Commissioner Kim,” and “We also offer our deepest condolences to the firefighters and their families.”

He continued, “I will pay my respects after completing my official schedule in Busan today and tomorrow.”

Floor leader Han Byeong-do and Secretary-General Han Jeong-ae are scheduled to pay their respects to Fire Commissioner Kim's funeral set up at the funeral hall of Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital this afternoon.