Accra:Seoul The ruling Democratic Party (DP) has issued warnings to Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae and a party lawmaker over remarks perceived as disparaging to firefighters. The decision was made during a closed-door meeting of the party's supreme council.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Governor Choo faced criticism after describing the firefighting service as a significant "headache" and "fiscal drain" on local governments during a parliamentary audit. The DP's warnings are meant to encourage self-reflection and prevent similar incidents in the future.

The controversy extended to Rep. Boo Seung-chan, who defended Choo during another parliamentary audit, asserting that Choo had sufficiently apologized and that firefighting services strained local government finances, despite firefighters being central government employees since 2020. Choo's apologies, offered on multiple occasions, have been criticized for lacking sincerity. She pledged to work towards enhancing firefighters' safety and working conditions after meeting with representatives of the firefighters' union.