Amid Choo Mi-ae's "Fiscal Burden" Controversy, Gyeonggi Province Cuts Budget for Fallen Firefighters' Memorial

The controversy surrounding Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae's remarks about firefighting as a "fiscal burden" is expanding to include issues of reduced budgets for firefighting vehicle reinforcement and the complete elimination of budget for fallen firefighters' memorial projects.

According to Gyeonggi Province and political circles on the 17th, the People Power Party's Gyeonggi Province chapter stated the previous day that Gyeonggi Province cut the firefighting vehicle reinforcement budget by 2.65 billion won while compiling the supplementary budget, and scaled down the vehicle purchase plan from the original 103 units to 78 units.

This represents a reduction of 25 units (24.3%) from the original plan, and the Gyeonggi Province Assembly's Committee on Safety and Administration also expressed concerns during the review process about delays in replacing aging fire trucks and a decline in investment for field response capabilities.

The 100 million won budget for the "Gyeonggi Firefighting 119 Memorial Day" event to commemorate fallen firefighters was also completely cut. This project, launched for the first time last year, is an event where bereaved families, firefighter colleagues, and residents gather to honor the sacrifices of fallen firefighters. Gyeonggi Province had initially announced plans to establish it as a regular flagship memorial project, but within a year the separate budget became a target for reduction.

The Future Firefighting Union stated that while event-focused projects can be reorganized according to fiscal conditions, the same standards should not be applied to the commemoration of fallen firefighters and the treatment of bereaved families, and called for budget restoration.

The province explained that the original budget included 70 million won in outsourced service costs and planned a fire truck cavalcade mobilizing 30 vehicles, so it reduced event-focused expenditures. The province stated it would proceed with the memorial event on the 24th as scheduled using fire headquarters administrative management funds and other resources, and would ensure no disruption to the treatment of bereaved families.

These budget cuts were included in the supplementary budget compiled prior to Governor Choo's state audit remarks. However, as details of the budget reductions became known following the governor's remarks characterizing firefighting budgets as a burden on local finances, controversy over the province's firefighting budget management is growing.

Earlier, Governor Choo stated at the province's state audit before the National Assembly's Committee on Administration and Safety on the 13th, while explaining the need for expanded national treasury support for firefighting budgets, that "firefighting is the biggest troublesome fiscal burden like a straw."

Governor Choo argued that despite firefighters being converted to national civil servants, the province must bear approximately 1.7 trillion won total, including 1.1 trillion won in personnel costs and approximately 500 billion won in project costs as of 2027, while national treasury support amounts to only about 9%.

The province explained that the remarks were intended to point out the fiscal structure in which local governments bear most firefighting budgets even after the conversion to national civil service. However, firefighter labor unions are demanding a direct apology, saying the remarks damaged the honor and pride of field personnel.

The Integrated Firefighters Civil Service Labor Union has continued a one-person protest in front of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government building since the 15th, demanding a direct apology from Governor Choo. In a statement, Chairman Choi Young-jae emphasized, "Disparaging firefighters' dedication as a fiscal burden damages the morale and pride of field personnel," and stressed, "If there are problems with firefighting finances, the central government and local governments should establish a rational cost-sharing system."

The People Power Party's Gyeonggi Province chapter stated, "Apologize to firefighting civil servants and take responsibility for safety through substantive budgets and policies," and urged the presentation of supplementary measures for the reduced vehicle purchase plan and measures to expand field safety investment.