'Advanced safety equipment must be expanded, modernized'

'Measures that can be felt on the ground must be prepared'

President Lee Jae Myung pays his respects at the funeral of the 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 of the 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 said Monday that the safety people enjoy in their daily lives is owed to the dedication of firefighters who risk their lives to protect citizens, and that the state must now take responsibility for protecting the lives and safety of those firefighters in return.

Lee shared a YouTube video on X depicting a firefighter who was seriously injured while battling a blaze, the police and medical staff who fought to save him, and his wife who watched it all unfold. "I feel deeply sorry for the firefighter who suffered grave injuries while protecting the public," he wrote.

"My heart aches when I think of how much pain and hardship he must be enduring," Lee said. He added that he was all the more moved to learn that even in that condition, the firefighter had expressed gratitude to the citizens who cleared the way for the ambulance.

Lee also noted that the firefighter's wife is herself a firefighter. "I extend my deepest condolences to them both, and sincerely hope the firefighter makes a full and speedy recovery," he said.

Lee called for improvements to on-site operational manuals that take firefighter safety into account, and said advanced equipment — including firefighting robots and multipurpose drones — must be expanded and modernized. He added that he would review ways to strengthen support so firefighters can carry out their duties safely even in hazardous situations.

"We will put in place effective, practical measures that can be felt on the ground, so that a firefighter's dedication does not end in a tragic final call," he said.


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