During a national audit, Choo Mi-ae, the Governor of Gyeonggi Province, has been accused of perjury and improper budget execution, leading to another legal complaint against her. This follows a previous complaint filed last month regarding budget issues related to her official residence and vehicles, with the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency receiving complaints in consecutive days.
On the morning of October 20, the citizen group Judicial Justice Restoration Citizen Action (Sasaehang) visited the Suwon Serious Crimes Investigation Agency to file a complaint against Governor Choo for abuse of power, obstruction of official duties, and violation of the National Assembly Testimony and Appraisal Act.
Kim Han-me, the representative of Sasaehang, held a press conference just before submitting the complaint, alleging that Governor Choo provided false testimony during the national audit of Gyeonggi Province on October 13. When questioned by People Power Party lawmaker Joo Ho-young about the circumstances surrounding the new purchase contract for the governor's official vehicle, Choo claimed it was a decision made during the tenure of her predecessor, Kim Dong-yeon. However, Kim's camp has expressed skepticism about this claim, stating it contradicts objective facts, as a new vehicle was purchased shortly before his departure.
Kim also criticized Choo for significantly cutting the Gyeonggi Province budget while simultaneously signing a lease contract for her official residence worth approximately 1.22 billion won (about $1 million), causing financial loss to the province. He further alleged that after a surge in petitions on the Gyeonggi Province petition site calling for her resignation, Choo abruptly ended the usual 30-day consent period for such petitions within just a few days, indicating abuse of power.
Additionally, on October 19, Choo was also reported to the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency by the conservative citizen group, the People's Livelihood Countermeasures Committee, on charges of abuse of power, obstruction of duties, and defamation. The committee cited Choo's remarks during the national audit on October 13, where she referred to the fire budget as a "painful financial siphon," and her comments after visiting the funeral of firefighter Kim Jin-seok, who died in a factory fire in Bucheon on October 17, where she expressed heartfelt apologies, as damaging to the honor of on-site firefighters and fallen firefighters.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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