Choo Mi-ae, the Governor of Gyeonggi Province, publicly criticized President Lee Jae-myung regarding judicial reform and the nomination of Kim Ji-yong as the head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency. During a memorial service for victims of the democratization movement, she stated that "democratization is an ongoing process," expressing her concerns about the current government's reform direction.
According to Yonhap News on September 12, Choo made her remarks without a prepared statement at the '2026 Gyeonggi Province Memorial Service for Victims of the Democratization Movement' held at the Memorial Park in Namyangju.
Choo stated, "People came together to overcome insurrection and establish electoral democracy, restoring the constitutional order that was nearly stolen by insurrection forces. If that is the case, why is the president clinging to these forces instead of punishing them?"
She also raised concerns about judicial reform and the nomination of Kim, questioning, "If someone who was aligned with Han Dong-hoon becomes the first head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, is that democratization? Is that how we change the country?"
On September 10, Choo had previously called for the withdrawal of Kim's nomination, citing his involvement in the investigation of the Kim Hak-eui case. She also attributed President Lee's declining approval ratings to the lack of judicial reform, stating, "The president's approval ratings are falling due to the failure of judicial reform, and there is no other reason for it."
During the memorial service, Choo emphasized the need for reforming the power structure as a task following democratization. She remarked, "While we have achieved enough democratization to elect a president, we must also uphold the will of the people as the sovereign after the election," reiterating that "democratization is an ongoing process."
Choo identified the 'corruption cartel and elite cartel' as South Korea's biggest challenges, stressing, "As the climate crisis looms and the AI era accelerates our pace, the corruption cartel must prioritize the responsibilities of the times before enjoying their power."
The memorial service was attended by over 100 family members of victims of the democratization movement and representatives of related organizations. Gyeonggi Province is providing 300 million won this year for democratization movement memorial projects.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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