Wildfires Rage While Governor Plays Golf and Drinks... Public Backlash Intensifies

Governor Kim Young-hwan and Kim Jin-tae's Inappropriate Conduct in Disaster Situations

As large-scale spring wildfires broke out across the country, some governors have come under public criticism for inappropriate behavior such as drinking parties or playing golf during the disaster situation. They are being pointed out for forgetting their duties as fire safety officials.

Last week, simultaneous wildfires erupted in Gangwon Province. The Hwacheon wildfire that occurred on the 30th of last month was extinguished after about 18 hours. Although there were no casualties, it is estimated that 68 hectares of forest, equivalent to 95 times the size of a soccer field (0.714 ha), were destroyed by this wildfire.

On the afternoon of the 31st of last month, around 2:37 PM, a fire broke out at a factory in Bongsan-dong, Wonju City. The fire spread to a nearby hill but was extinguished in about 1 hour and 20 minutes. On the same day, around 3:37 PM, a wildfire also broke out at the summit of a mountain next to Garisan Recreation Forest in Duchon-myeon, Hongcheon County, Gangwon Province. Forestry and firefighting authorities deployed four helicopters and about 100 personnel to extinguish the main fire within about two hours.

However, it was confirmed that Kim Jin-tae, the governor of Gangwon Province and the person responsible for firefighting, practiced golf on that day. According to Gangwon Provincial Office on the 3rd, Governor Kim visited a golf practice range in the Chuncheon area around 5:30 PM on the 31st of last month and practiced golf for about 30 minutes. At that time, Governor Kim headed to the golf practice range instead of the provincial office after attending Arbor Day events and other schedules in Sokcho.

When this fact became known, Governor Kim’s office acknowledged, "We admit that this was inappropriate behavior during the wildfire situation," and apologized, saying, "We are sorry for causing concern."

Kim Young-hwan, Governor of Chungbuk Province, is responding to a lawmaker's question at the National Assembly inspection of Chungbuk Provincial Office held in the main conference room of Chungbuk Provincial Office in October last year. Photo by Yonhap News

Kim Young-hwan, governor of Chungbuk Province, was embroiled in controversy for holding a drinking party during the Jecheon wildfire. A photo taken at a local youth meeting attended by Governor Kim at around 7:30 PM on the 30th of last month was released on social media, showing Governor Kim with a flushed face and various bottles of alcohol on the table.

At that time, firefighting efforts were underway in Bongyang-eup, Jecheon, and forestry authorities had issued a Level 1 wildfire response. As the fire spread and the danger increased, evacuation orders were issued to nearby residents. The wildfire was only fully extinguished after burning an area equivalent to 30 soccer fields.

In response to the controversy, Chungcheongbuk-do explained on the 1st, "According to the wildfire response manual, the commander for Level 1 incidents with damage under 30 hectares is the mayor or county head, and the governor commands large wildfires with damage over 100 hectares. The province judged that the Jecheon wildfire was stabilizing on that day and did not consider a visit by the governor to the site." Governor Kim’s office also stated, "He did not drink alcohol."

However, criticism continues despite these explanations. Since the governor’s active role is important in disaster response, the behavior was deemed inappropriate. The Chungbuk Citizens’ Social Organizations Coalition criticized on the 3rd in a statement, "Even if the commander is the mayor or county head, the governor should have responded more actively to the disaster," adding, "While the governor was enjoying a drinking party, residents of the Jecheon area were holding their breath watching the wildfire progress."

Lee Kyung, the senior deputy spokesperson of the Democratic Party of Korea, also commented on the 1st, "Although firefighting duties have been transferred to the national government, organizational management and some command authority still remain with the governor," and said, "The firefighting command authority and the position of metropolitan leader were entrusted by the people of the region. Is it true that Governor Kim held a drinking party while the residents were trembling with anxiety?"