President pays respects to late Senior Fire Lieutenant Kim Jin-seok; posthumous state decoration awarded

President Lee Jae Myung pays his respects at the funeral home for late Senior Fire Lieutenant Kim Jin-seok, who died in the line of duty at a factory fire in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Saturday. [Yonhap]
President Lee Jae Myung pays his respects at the funeral home for late Senior Fire Lieutenant Kim Jin-seok, who died in the line of duty at a factory fire in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Saturday. [Yonhap]

President Lee Jae Myung visited the funeral home at Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Saturday to pay his respects to late Senior Fire Lieutenant Kim Jin-seok and present him with a posthumous Order of Service Merit (Jade Class).

Lee laid flowers before a portrait of the deceased and observed a moment of silence before meeting with the bereaved family to offer his condolences.

Lee asked how old Kim's daughter was, and upon hearing she was seven, fell silent for a long moment, his expression visibly stricken. When a family member said, "Please make sure our daughter can grow up well," Lee nodded deeply. He said he was deeply sorry that words of gratitude alone could not adequately honor the sacrifice of firefighters who serve the nation.

Lee then stepped outside the funeral hall to speak with Kim's father, asking whether his son had been an only child. He paused for a long moment before offering words of comfort.

After paying his respects, Lee expressed hope for the swift recovery of another firefighter injured at the same blaze who remains under treatment, and directed Interior and Safety Minister Yun Ho-jung to spare no effort in providing the support needed for the firefighter's care and recovery.

Lee also said the state must strengthen on-site safety so that firefighters dedicated to protecting the lives and safety of the public can carry out their duties in a safer environment, and that the government must fulfill its responsibility to provide recognition and support befitting their service and sacrifice.

He added that the state must remember to the end the dedication of those who gave their lives protecting the public, ensure they receive proper honors, and look after the futures of the families and young children left behind — with the state standing by them all the way.

Senior Fire Lieutenant Kim suffered critical injuries while fighting a factory fire in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Friday and was transported to hospital for treatment. He died Saturday morning.

President Lee Jae Myung pays his respects at the funeral home at Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital in Gyeonggi Province for late Senior Fire Lieutenant Kim Jin-seok. [Yonhap]
President Lee Jae Myung pays his respects at the funeral home at Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital in Gyeonggi Province for late Senior Fire Lieutenant Kim Jin-seok. [Yonhap]

sang@heraldcorp.com