Gyeonggi governor Choo's 'fiscal straw' fire service remark sparks audit clash

Firefighter Kim Jin-seok, 44, was sent as a first-arriving unit to a factory fire in Bucheon on 16 October. Dong-A Ilbo and Chosun Ilbo said he became isolated as the fire spread. He was taken to hospital and died at about 00:55 on 17 October. The fire caused eight casualties in all: one other firefighter was seriously injured, four firefighters showed heat exhaustion and two factory staff were taken to hospital after inhaling smoke, Yonhap reported. [ 3 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]

Gyeonggi Province formed a funeral committee of about 20 people with Governor Choo Mi-ae at its head, Yonhap and Korea Economic Daily reported; Dong-A Ilbo calls her co-chair. The wake was held at the Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital funeral hall. The procession was set for 08:00 on 19 October and the memorial service for 09:30 at the Bucheon gymnasium. At the service a one-rank special promotion and the Okjo Geunjeong medal (옥조근정훈장) were due to be conferred, and the province said it was pursuing national-merit status for him. [ 1 , 3 , 5 , 8 , 9 ]

On 13 October, at a National Assembly Public Administration and Security Committee audit of Gyeonggi, Choo said the fire service was like the biggest headache 'fiscal straw'. Fire service unions criticised the remark as disparaging firefighters' dedication. At the wake on 17 October Choo said that if her remark had come across differently from her intent she was sorry, and, 'since you want an apology', she apologised sincerely. She said she had no intention of disparaging firefighters. She said Gyeonggi's fire personnel costs were about 1.1 trillion won and government support was 80 billion won. Dong-A Ilbo said Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok had asked her to apologise. [ 5 , 10 , 17 , 22 ]

At the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee audit on 19 October, Choo apologised again in her opening remarks. People Power Party lawmaker Kim Jong-yang (김종양) called the 'since you want an apology' wording a 'second harm' and said the apology looked reluctant. Democratic Party lawmaker Moon Jung-bok (문정복) said it was not a day to apply a political yardstick to Choo and that the matter fell outside the committee's remit. Shouting followed. Fellow Democratic lawmaker Kang Deuk-gu (강득구) said he disagreed with the wording but not with the point about costs. [ 13 , 14 , 17 , 37 ]

Later Bu Seung-chan (부승찬), a Democratic Party lawmaker, said Choo had made a big mistake but had apologised enough. He said local governments bear about 90% of personnel and support costs although fire service staff are national officials, and asked whether that was not 'really sucking the finances dry'. People Power Party lawmaker Kim Eun-hye said the remark should never have been made on the day of the memorial service and demanded a public apology. Bu told her to look at the context, and the audit was suspended. Newsis said the pause lasted about 10 minutes, CBS NoCut News about 7 and Kyunghyang Shinmun about 3. [ 17 , 20 , 22 , 25 , 38 ]

Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok issued a strict warning to Bu and ordered the party's central ethics tribunal to investigate how the remark came about, the party said in a notice on 19 October. On 20 October the People Power Party demanded heavy discipline for both Choo and Bu. Newsis assessed the audit as one in which committee issues and provincial administration were pushed aside. [ 25 , 28 , 32 , 35 , 37 , 40 ]