Korean official calls Gyeonggi governor's fire-funding 'straw' remark inappropriate
In short
Im Ki-geun (임기근), head of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, said on 21 October that Gyeonggi Governor Chu Mi-ae's (추미애) "fiscal straw" remark about fire service funding was inappropriate in some respects. He spoke at a National Assembly committee audit and said central and local governments should jointly improve firefighters' treatment and equipment.
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Im Ki-geun (임기근), head of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, said on 21 October that Gyeonggi Governor Chu Mi-ae's (추미애) "fiscal straw" remark about fire service funding was inappropriate in some respects. He spoke in the morning at the National Assembly Political Affairs Committee's audit, answering a question from People Power Party lawmaker Kim Jae-sub (김재섭). Im said the remark seemed intended to express the difficulty of fire service finances but "went too far". [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
On the fire budget, Im said national and local funds are both used and that adjusting their ratio requires consideration of various aspects. He said he basically agrees that central and local governments should jointly improve firefighters' treatment and expand fire equipment, adding that "the state will also step up". [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Chu said at an audit on 13 October, while discussing the local fiscal burden of fire service spending, that the fire service seemed like the biggest, headache-inducing fiscal straw. CBS NoCut News said she later apologised to firefighters three times. Chosun Ilbo and Korea Economic Daily reported that Democratic Party lawmaker Bu Seung-chan (부승찬) drew criticism on 19 October by asking, in remarks about local governments bearing most of the fire budget, whether the fire service was really sucking up finances. Korea Economic Daily reported that the Democratic Party decided at its supreme council meeting on 21 October to issue warnings to both. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Korea Economic Daily gave more detail on Kim's questions. He said that firefighters have national status yet still depend heavily on local finances, and that if the state moved them to national status it should provide matching treatment. He said covering all firefighter personnel costs would take less than 6 trillion won. He also cited the possible decline of tobacco-tax revenue that funds the service, regional gaps and a command structure centred on provincial governors. Kim said he had proposed a bill on national responsibility for firefighters. Im said it was not appropriate to give a specific immediate answer on the bill, but he agreed with the direction of joint central and local effort. [ 5 ]
Newsis and Yonhap reported Im's answers on other subjects at the same hearing. On a question from Cho Jung-hoon (조정훈) of the People Power Party, Im said that under general legal principles public institutions that leak personal data should admit fault and pay compensation. Asked by Park Sung-hoon (박성훈) about the US acknowledging limits on intelligence cooperation with South Korea, Im said the alliance is not a matter of one side tolerating or not tolerating something, and that consultations take place regularly. On expanding the Cheonghae unit's operating area to the Gulf of Oman, he said nothing specific has been decided and that close consultations with the United States are under way. [ 1 , 2 ]
Chosun Ilbo also published an opinion piece on the evening of 21 October, whose author says he spent 35 years at fire and disaster scenes. The piece argues that the state should take responsibility for fire service funding and that the controversy should not be dismissed as a slip of the tongue. [ 8 ]
Why it matters
The remarks show a senior official distancing the government from a controversy over who pays for the fire service. The documents describe an ongoing debate over how national and local funds should be split, with no decision reported.
Key facts
- Im Ki-geun said on 21 October that Chu Mi-ae's "fiscal straw" remark had aspects that were "not appropriate". [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- He said the remark seemed meant to express the difficulty of fire service finances but "went too far". [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- He spoke at the National Assembly Political Affairs Committee audit, answering a question from People Power Party lawmaker Kim Jae-sub (김재섭). [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 ]
- Im said fire service spending mixes national and local funds and that adjusting the ratio needs careful consideration. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Chu made the remark at an audit on 13 October; Democratic Party lawmaker Bu Seung-chan (부승찬) made a similar remark on 19 October. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Im Ki-geun said Chu Mi-ae's "fiscal straw" remark had inappropriate aspects, and that it went too far even if meant to express the difficulty of fire service finances. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Im said he basically agrees that central and local governments should jointly improve firefighters' treatment and expand fire equipment, and that "the state will also step up". [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Chu said at the 13 October audit that the fire service seemed like the biggest, headache-inducing fiscal straw. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the national and local funding ratio for fire services will change. Im said only that various considerations are needed; no decision was reported.
- Whether the government will back Kim Jae-sub's bill on national responsibility for firefighters. Im said it was not appropriate to give a specific immediate answer on the bill (Korea Economic Daily only).
- The Democratic Party's warning to Chu and Bu, and Chu's three apologies to firefighters. Each is reported by a single outlet: Korea Economic Daily for the warning and CBS NoCut News for the apologies.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Yonhap published its report on Im's remarks at the morning audit. [ 1 ]
- Newsis reported Im's answers, including on US-Korea intelligence cooperation and the Cheonghae unit. [ 2 ]
- Korea Economic Daily reported Kim Jae-sub's call for the state to take responsibility and said the Democratic Party would warn Chu and Bu at its supreme council meeting that day. [ 5 ]
- Maeil Business published photos of Im answering lawmakers at the committee's comprehensive audit of non-financial areas. [ 6 , 7 ]
- Chosun Ilbo published an opinion piece arguing the state should be responsible for fire service funding. [ 8 ]