Choo Mi-ae reported to police over official residence spending amid 'fiscal emergency'

Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae has been reported to police on allegations that she spent lavishly on an official residence and a government vehicle even after declaring a "fiscal emergency" in the province.

Citizens' Action for Judicial Justice filed a complaint Tuesday morning with the Gyeonggi Southern Police Agency, calling for Choo to be investigated on charges of abuse of authority, breach of fiduciary duty, violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes — specifically loss of public funds — and defamation under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection.

The group said Choo declared a fiscal emergency in Gyeonggi Province and pushed through expenditure restructuring, yet used 1.22 billion won ($907,000) in provincial funds to secure a jeonse apartment in the Gwanggyo area as an official residence.

"She slashed the budget for residents while spending provincial funds on her own official residence and government vehicle," said Kim Han-me, standing chairman of the group. "This caused financial damage to Gyeonggi Province in violation of her duty to manage its finances soundly and efficiently."

Kim added that Choo had abused her budget-drafting authority during the spending process, obstructed the legitimate exercise of rights by relevant civil servants, and ultimately caused material losses to the province — grounds, the group said, for charges of abuse of authority and breach of fiduciary duty.

Choo declared a "Gyeonggi Province fiscal emergency" on Aug. 5, citing a deterioration in the province's finances stemming from local bond issuances by the previous administration. The province subsequently drew up a supplementary budget that included 546.5 billion won in expenditure restructuring.

Against that backdrop, controversy erupted when it emerged that Choo had recently signed a jeonse contract using 1.22 billion won in provincial funds for a 156-square-meter apartment in Gwanggyo new town as her official residence.

Beyond the official-residence allegations, the group also took issue with remarks Choo made Saturday at a memorial ceremony for victims of the pro-democracy movement held at Moran Park in Namyangju. Speaking at the "2026 Gyeonggi Province Democracy Movement Victims Memorial," Choo directed comments at President Lee Jae Myung, asking, "Why are you cowering while being carried on the backs of these insurrection forces?"

The group said the remarks constituted defamation through false statements under the information and communications network law, as there was no objective basis for suggesting that President Lee had compromised with insurrection forces.

Police said they would review the details of the complaint before deciding whether to open a formal investigation.