Tensions resurfaced between Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok and Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae as the province sought help with worsening fiscal pressures at a September 21 budget policy meeting. Choo described Gyeonggi’s finances as requiring emergency treatment, citing population growth, rising welfare costs and limited fiscal room after mandatory spending. She proposed raising the local consumption tax rate from 25.3% to 40.3% and allocating 5% of national corporate tax revenue to metropolitan-level governments. She said the tax increase could generate about 8 trillion Korean won over four years and cited roughly 1.6 trillion Korean won in provincial spending to support the fire service. Kim expressed sympathy but said Gyeonggi’s distinctive fiscal circumstances should be addressed separately from broader local-government problems, while warning that the province would need to build broad support for its case. The meeting also covered central-government funding, fiscal decentralization, general grants, returned U.S. military land, railways and a Local Council Act. Their dispute comes amid clashes over the nomination of Kim Ji-yong as head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, cuts to Gyeonggi’s DMZ International Documentary Film Festival budget and Choo’s election consulting expenses.