Kim Gyeong-ho, who is in charge of inspecting electrical switchboards at Baegun Lake in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, was working as usual on the evening of May 1 when he suddenly heard something fall into the water.
[Kim Gyeong-ho / Good Samaritan who saved 19-month-old baby: I think I heard a splashing sound twice. So I was startled and ran over, and I saw a baby sinking. Such a tiny baby.]
A 19-month-old baby, who had been sightseeing at the lake, had fallen into the water, and a man presumed to be the child's father had also jumped in.
In the critical situation, despite warnings from people around him, Kim had only one thought: he had to save the baby.
[Kim Gyeong-ho / Good Samaritan who saved 19-month-old baby: Elderly women and other people nearby tried to stop me, shouting, 'Where do you think you're jumping? Are you out of your mind?' But I don't know. At that moment, I had no other desire than wanting to save the baby.]
Although it was dark after sunset and the lake was nearly 3 meters deep, Kim said he found the courage as soon as he spotted the baby.
[Kim Gyeong-ho / Good Samaritan who saved 19-month-old baby: The moment I saw the baby, it was purely an emotional reaction. The baby looked like they were saying, 'Grandpa, please save me,' which gave me some unexpected strength.]
During the rescue, Kim also faced dangerous situations, such as getting cramps in his legs and swallowing water multiple times, but he ultimately used all his strength to pull the child out of the water in about 15 minutes.
Fortunately, both the baby and the father were safe, and about 10 days later, the child's parents visited Kim's workplace to express their gratitude with rice cakes and watermelon.
When Kim's brave actions became known, the LG Welfare Foundation awarded him the LG Award for Righteousness in the self-sacrifice category last month along with a cash prize.
Kim's good deeds did not end there; he donated a portion of the reward money to the Cheonggyedong community service center, asking that it be used for vulnerable children in the area.
Kim said that although he is not well-off himself, he wanted to share because he has received a lot of help throughout his life.
[Kim Gyeong-ho / Good Samaritan who saved 19-month-old baby: Cheonggyedong is like a second hometown to me, and I've received a lot of help living here in various ways. So I had this desire to contribute even just a little bit.]
The donation delivered by Kim was given to three vulnerable households in the area.
(Reported by Kim Taewon | Video by Kim Na-on | Graphics by Yook Do-hyun | Produced by SBS Digital News)
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