A civil servant at the Banghwa 3-dong community center in Seoul's Gangseo-gu has drawn widespread praise for saving a resident's life by performing swift CPR on a man who collapsed in cardiac arrest outside the building — a story that came to light only recently.
The civil servant is Kim Hyo-jin, a nursing-track official from the Gangseo-gu Health Center assigned to the Banghwa 3-dong community center.
At around 4:30 p.m. on July 16, a man suddenly lost consciousness and collapsed on the street in front of the community center. His head had fallen to one side, and his lips and face had turned blue, indicating cyanosis — a sign of critical condition.
Kim, who witnessed the collapse, rushed over without hesitation, checked the man's pulse and determined he was in cardiac arrest before beginning CPR. A former nurse, she took turns with colleagues performing chest compressions, keeping up the effort until paramedics arrived.
Emergency responders administered a defibrillator shock on the scene and transported the patient to Ewha Seoul Hospital, where he regained consciousness two days later.
Doctors had feared serious brain damage due to the prolonged interruption of oxygen supply, but thanks to Kim's prompt and accurate initial response, the patient was discharged in good health nine days later with no lasting effects on his memory or motor functions.
The story came to light last month when the patient's wife posted a lengthy message of gratitude on the Gangseo-gu district office's website.
"I can picture you giving everything you had to perform CPR and fight to save my husband in those critical moments where every second counted," the wife wrote. "I will spend the rest of my life grateful for your selfless dedication in bringing him back."
Kim said she was simply doing what was expected of her. "I only did what was natural, and it was thanks to my colleagues at the Banghwa 3-dong community center and the paramedics that we were able to complete the emergency response so quickly," she said. "When I heard that the patient had been discharged safely, I felt a deep sense of fulfillment knowing that a family's everyday life had been preserved."
Gangseo-gu District Mayor Jin Kyo-hoon expressed his gratitude to Kim for her composure and quick thinking. "I extend my deepest thanks to Kim Hyo-jin for demonstrating her ability to handle a crisis even in the most urgent of moments and saving a resident's life," he said. "I hope all public servants in the field will continue to do their utmost to protect the safety of our residents through swift action."
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