Choo Mi-ae Expresses Deep Condolences Over Fallen Firefighter: "We Will Never Forget His Courage and Dedication"

Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae expressed deep condolences today (the 17th) over the death of Fire Inspector Kim Jin-seok, who passed away while fighting a factory fire in Bucheon, saying, "I am overwhelmed with grief and sorrow."

In a post uploaded to Facebook on this day, Governor Choo paid tribute, stating, "We will never forget the courage and dedication of the deceased, who risked his own danger to save the lives of others."

She added, "I bow my head and offer my deepest condolences and comfort to the bereaved family members who are experiencing indescribable sorrow after losing a beloved family member. My heart is all the heavier because I cannot even begin to measure the weight of their grief."

Governor Choo promised, "I will once again engrave deep in my heart how heavy a responsibility it is to protect the lives and safety of every single firefighter," adding, "We will more thoroughly examine safety and working conditions in the field."

Earlier, Gyeonggi Province Spokesperson Hong Eun-kwang stated through a written briefing that Governor Choo had instructed officials to "ensure that Gyeonggi Province devotes the utmost care and respect so that there is not the slightest shortcoming on the final journey of the late Fire Inspector Kim Jin-seok."

The funeral for the deceased will be held as a Gyeonggi Provincial Office funeral in accordance with the wishes of the bereaved family.

The mortuary has been set up at room 3 of the Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital Funeral Hall, and the farewell ceremony is scheduled to be held solemnly on the 19th.

Governor Choo is scheduled to visit the mortuary at 2 p.m. today to pay her respects and comfort the bereaved family.

The deceased, who was deployed as part of the initial response team to extinguish the fire that broke out at a Bucheon factory the previous day, was transferred to a hospital for treatment but ultimately passed away at around 12:55 a.m. today.

Due to this fire, a total of 8 casualties occurred, including another firefighter sustaining serious injuries, 4 firefighters showing symptoms of heat exhaustion, and 2 factory workers being transported for smoke inhalation.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.