President Lee Jae-myung has strongly condemned the case of a female firefighter in her 20s who took her own life, calling it the "worst form of workplace abuse," following allegations that she suffered from a culture of forced drinking and that fire authorities ignored requests for an internal investigation.

During the 27th Cabinet meeting and the 12th emergency economic review meeting held at the Blue House today (June 23), President Lee addressed the incident, stating, "I ordered the Office for Government Policy Coordination to investigate, and it turns out these allegations are true."

He criticized the situation harshly, asking, "How immense must have been the suffering of the victim who passed away, how heartbroken must her boyfriend and family be, and how much more pain did they endure when their pleas for an investigation were ignored?" He added, "How could something like this happen?"

He continued his rebuke, saying, "She went to work to make a living, but it seems her superiors treated her as an object for their drinking and entertainment," labeling it "the absolute worst form of workplace abuse."

The incident mentioned by President Lee refers to the death of a female public official in her 20s, identified as A, who worked for the Gwangju Fire and Safety Headquarters and took her own life last October.

An SBS investigation revealed that there were circumstances suggesting internal workplace issues, including a culture of excessive drinking, behind the death of A, who was preparing for marriage. Despite the bereaved family's requests for a thorough investigation, the Gwangju Fire and Safety Headquarters failed to conduct an internal audit for over five months.

While on a tour of Europe on the 11th, President Lee addressed the case, promising a "thorough investigation into the circumstances of the firefighter's death, including forced drinking at company gatherings, as well as the reasons why requests for an internal audit were ignored." He stated that the investigation would be led by the Office for Government Policy Coordination, rather than the National Fire Agency, to ensure objectivity.

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Using this incident as a catalyst, President Lee ordered all government ministries and agencies to conduct internal organizational reviews. He instructed, "I hope that elements of workplace abuse, such as intentionally seating female staff next to superiors or forcing them to pour drinks, will never happen again."

(Photo: Yonhap News)