Democratic Party: Firefighting System Reform Comes First... "Controversy Over Chu Miae's Remarks to Be Discussed Later"

Democratic Party Supreme Council
Calls Within Party for "A Sincere Apology"

The Democratic Party of Korea decided to discuss later how to respond to Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae’s remark describing firefighting as “the biggest, most troublesome drain on public finances.”

Democratic Party spokesperson Jo Gye-won told reporters on the 19th, after the party’s Supreme Council meeting, that the party had decided to “address the public’s concerns, offer words of comfort to firefighters, and discuss institutional and financial support related to the matter.” He was responding to questions including whether the party would separately consider disciplinary action against Governor Choo. “We will discuss the part concerning Governor Choo later,” he said.

Kim Minseok, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, delivers opening remarks at a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly on Oct. 19, 2026. Photo by Yoon Dongju.

The party will first look into institutional and financial support.

On Oct. 13, Governor Choo made the “troublesome drain on public finances” remark while emphasizing the severity of the burden on local government finances, noting that local government budgets remain heavily responsible for a substantial share of personnel and operating costs even after firefighters became national civil servants. “Personnel costs alone will consume 1.1 trillion won in 2027,” she said.

After the remark, firefighting organizations and unions criticized Governor Choo’s comments. Public sentiment worsened sharply when the remarks coincided with a factory fire in Bucheon that killed firefighter Lieutenant Kim Jin-seok and left several others injured. In response, Governor Choo said, “If my words were conveyed differently from what I intended, I deeply regret that,” adding, “Since you are asking for an apology, I sincerely apologize from the bottom of my heart.” Controversy over how she phrased her apology has continued.

Within the Democratic Party, calls have emerged for further action.

Democratic Party floor spokesperson Lee Ju-hee said, “It seems many believe Governor Choo needs to offer a more heartfelt apology,” adding, “We will discuss how to respond through various channels, including with Gyeonggi provincial lawmakers.” Lee also said, “From the party’s perspective, we will reflect on the treatment of firefighters and whether they have been treated as national civil servants in practice since the transition. We will move as quickly as possible to improve their working conditions and policies so they are commensurate with their status and suited to their independent duties.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.