Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung, National Fire Agency Commissioner General Choi Yong-cheol and Chief of Staff Lim Gwang-hyeon accompany president; Lee posthumously presents Order of Service Merit to family of the late Fire Lieutenant Kim Jin-seok

President Lee Jae Myung pays his respects at the memorial altar for the late Fire Lieutenant Kim Jin-seok at the funeral hall of Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital in Gyeonggi Province on Saturday. [Yonhap]
President Lee Jae Myung pays his respects at the memorial altar for the late Fire Lieutenant Kim Jin-seok at the funeral hall of Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital in Gyeonggi Province on Saturday. [Yonhap]

President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday visited the memorial altar of the late Fire Lieutenant Kim Jin-seok, who died in the line of duty in a Bucheon fire.

Lee arrived that afternoon at the funeral hall of Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital in Wonmi-gu, Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province.

Interior and Safety Minister Yun Ho-jung and National Fire Agency Commissioner General Choi Yong-cheol accompanied him, as did Chief of Staff Lim Gwang-hyeon and First Aide Kim Hyun-ji.

In the condolence book, Lee wrote: "The people will forever remember your sacrifice in the safe daily lives you protected for them."

He then knelt before the portrait of the deceased, offered incense, rose and bowed his head in a moment of silence.

Lee also presented the posthumous Order of Service Merit before offering words of condolence to the bereaved family.

The government posthumously promoted Kim one rank from fire sergeant to fire lieutenant and awarded him the Order of Service Merit.

It also plans to support his interment at the National Cemetery.

At the memorial altar, an appointment certificate was placed to the left of Kim's portrait and his uniform to the right.

A factory fire in Bupyeong killed Kim and left one other firefighter in his 40s critically injured.

Four additional firefighters were also reported to be suffering from heat exhaustion.

Earlier, during his address at the opening ceremony of the 107th National Sports Festival at Jeju World Cup Stadium on Friday, Lee asked the audience to applaud in encouragement for the firefighters fighting for their lives, those who had been injured, and soldiers recently wounded in the line of duty.


shindw@heraldcorp.com