Gyeonggi Gov. Choo apologizes again for firefighter remarks
Choo Mi-ae faces mounting criticism from both parties after calling firefighting services a fiscal drain on local governments.
Gyeonggi Gov. Choo Mi-ae answers lawmakers' questions during a parliamentary audit of the provincial government at Gyeonggi Provincial Government headquarters in Suwon, Gyeonggi, on Oct. 19.
YONHAP
Gyeonggi Gov. Choo Mi-ae apologized again Monday for describing firefighting services as a "fiscal drain" on local governments, after her first apology drew further backlash for appearing insincere.
"I sincerely apologize to all firefighters who were hurt by my recent remarks," Choo said during a parliamentary audit of the Gyeonggi provincial government in Suwon, Gyeonggi.
"I value the dedication of firefighters more than anyone else," she said, pledging to pay closer attention to their safety and working conditions.
Choo has faced criticism since describing firefighting services as the biggest "headache" and a "fiscal drain" for local governments during a parliamentary audit last Tuesday.
Choo first apologized on Saturday, four days after making the remarks, following the death of a firefighter who was responding to a factory fire in Bucheon, west of Seoul.
Her apology, however, drew further criticism for seeming insincere.
"If my remarks were conveyed in a way I did not intend, I offer deep regrets, and since you want an apology, I offer my sincere apologies with all my heart," Choo said after paying her respects at the memorial altar of the late firefighter.
The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) has urged the ruling Democratic Party (DP) to expel Choo or take disciplinary action against her.
"The fundamental problem is that we cannot help but question whether Gyeonggi Gov. Choo Mi-ae, who considers firefighters a fiscal drain, can truly protect the lives and safety of Gyeonggi's 13 million residents," PPP Rep. Shin Dong-uk said during a meeting of the party's supreme council.
Her apology also prompted criticism from lawmakers within the DP.
In an SBS radio interview, DP Rep. Park Jie-won said Choo should have apologized properly rather than suggesting that she was doing so because others had demanded it.
Rep. Kim Byung-joo also called on Choo to issue a "sincere apology," saying the sincerity of an apology should be felt by those who receive it.
The DP leadership pledged to improve firefighters' working conditions and increase financial support for firefighting services.
"A hero should be treated with the respect he deserves," DP leader Kim Min-seok said during the party's supreme council meeting. "We will continue to boost funding and support to ensure a safe working environment for firefighters."
Yonhap
