▲ Appreciation plaque awarded by Sokcho Police Station
The attentiveness of a citizen who did not ignore a missing person alert has safely returned an elderly person with dementia to their family.
The Sokcho Police Station in Gangwon Province announced today, July 6, that it has awarded a certificate of appreciation and a reward to a citizen, identified by the surname Kim, for contributing to the rescue of an 84-year-old missing person with dementia, identified as A.
According to the police, A, who suffers from dementia, took a taxi from their residence to the Daejeon Intercity Bus Terminal on June 30 and then boarded a bus to Sokcho.
It is reported that while in the taxi heading to the terminal, A told the driver, "I am going to Sokcho to die."
After receiving a missing person report from the family, the police tracked A's movements and launched a search while sending out a missing person alert.
The alert included a description of A, noting a black short-sleeved shirt, navy shorts, white hair, and a cane.
Upon seeing the text message, Kim spotted a man matching the description while passing through downtown Sokcho at 11:29 a.m. on July 1.
Kim immediately called 112, and the responding officers were able to rescue A.
The Sokcho Police Station credited Kim's small act of attention and courageous action for playing a major role in rescuing the missing elderly person.
Chief Choi Hee-woon stated, "The safety of our community begins with the interest and participation of every individual citizen," adding, "Our society can become warmer because there are citizens like Kim who look out for their neighbors and take action."
(Photo: Courtesy of Sokcho Police Station, Yonhap News)
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