Choo Mi-ae: President's approval drop stems from prosecutorial reform, nothing else

Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae said prosecutorial reform is the reason behind President Lee Jae Myung's declining approval rating.

Choo appeared on "Gyeomson-eun Himdeulda News Factory" ("Humility Is Hard News Factory"), a YouTube political commentary program hosted by Kim Eo-jun, on Thursday. Asked why President Lee's approval rating was falling, she said, "I believe the president's approval rating is falling because of prosecutorial reform, and there is no other reason."

"When the nation lost its sovereignty, achieving independence was the top livelihood reform. Afterward, democratization was the top livelihood reform. Now it is prosecutorial reform, and I think it is more important than constitutional reform," Choo said, adding, "If we worry about a backlash over prosecutorial reform — the primary reform for our generation — every doubt will come pouring in, and that is probably how our supporters feel."

Choo also spoke candidly on other political issues, including the nomination of the inaugural head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency and the organizational structure of the Public Prosecution Office.

Regarding the nomination of Kim Ji-yong as candidate for head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, Choo pointed to his background on the investigative team in the Kim Hak-eui travel ban case and criticized the appointment, saying, "Putting someone who excelled at distorting the truth in a position that requires thorough investigation is the height of contradiction."

On the organizational structure of the Public Prosecution Office, which has drawn controversy over keeping the number of prosecutor posts unchanged, Choo said, "Keeping the same prosecutor-centered structure reveals prosecutors' true intent — dismissing as fiction the democratic judicial principle of checks and balances achieved by separating investigation from indictment." She added, "As for support staff for prosecutors, I believe two staff for every three prosecutors is enough."

Choo also repeated a point she has made since taking office, about Gyeonggi Province's fiscal crisis.

"Gyeonggi Province does not receive local allocation tax grants and relies heavily on real estate acquisition tax revenue, but large parts of the province have been designated as land transaction permit zones, and the government's current public housing policy is causing tax revenue to keep shrinking," Choo said. "That is why the local tax system needs to be overhauled, and I have told the president about the need for this as well."