Gyeonggi Gov. Choo apologizes again over remarks criticized as disparaging firefighters
Gyeonggi Gov. Choo Mi-ae mourns a late firefighter, Kim Jin-seok, at an altar for him during his funeral in the city of Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. Yonhap
Gyeonggi Province Gov. Choo Mi-ae apologized again Monday over her controversial remarks describing firefighters as a "fiscal drain" after her earlier apology, seen as lacking sincerity, drew public backlash.
"I sincerely apologize to all firefighters who were hurt by my recent remarks," Choo said during a parliamentary audit of the Gyeonggi provincial government at the local government's office in Suwon, south of Seoul.
"I value the dedication of firefighters more than anyone else," she said, vowing to pay closer attention to their safety and working conditions.
Choo has been at the center of controversy since referring to the firefighting service as the biggest "headache" and "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 appearing to lack sincerity.
"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 of Korea (DPK) 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 DPK.
In an SBS radio interview, DPK 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 DPK leadership pledged to improve firefighters' working conditions and increase financial support for firefighting services.
"A hero should be treated with the respect he deserves," DPK 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."