President Lee Jae-myung visited the memorial altar today (October 17) to pay his respects and mourn the late Fire Lieutenant Kim Jin-seok, who died in the line of duty during a factory fire in Bucheon.

President Lee arrived at around 6:15 p.m. at the funeral hall set up at Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital in Wonmi-gu, Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province.

Minister of the Interior and Safety Yun Ho-jung, National Fire Agency Commissioner Choi Yong-cheol, Presidential Chief of Staff Lim Gwang-hyun, and First Private Secretary Kim Hyun-ji also attended.
President Lee first wrote in the guestbook, "In the safe daily lives you protected, the people will forever remember your sacrifice."

Wearing white gloves, President Lee then knelt before the portrait of the deceased, offered incense, and stood to bow his head in a moment of silent tribute.

President Lee then placed the Order of Service Merit (Jade Stripes), awarded posthumously to the deceased, on the altar and offered his condolences to the bereaved family.

The late firefighter, who had been deployed as part of the first response team the previous day to battle the Bucheon factory fire, was transported to a hospital for treatment but passed away around 12:55 a.m. that day.

To honor Lieutenant Kim with the utmost respect, the government plans to support his burial at a national cemetery, in addition to a one-rank posthumous special promotion from Fire Sergeant to Fire Lieutenant and the conferral of the Order of Service Merit (Jade Stripes).

(Photo courtesy of Blue House Press Corps, Yonhap News)