A memorial event honoring fallen firefighters in Gyeonggi Province was significantly scaled back due to a complete budget cut. Last year's event attracted over 5,500 participants, while this year only about 60, including bereaved families and fire officials, attended.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the '2nd Gyeonggi Fire 119 Memorial Day' was held on October 24 at the auditorium of the Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters in Suwon. This year's event was conducted with a budget of approximately 7.5 million won, drawn from the fire department's administrative expenses, after the provincial government cut the related budget of 100 million won during the process of drafting a supplementary budget to overcome a financial crisis.
As a result, programs for the general public were excluded, and the event was reduced to a two-hour ceremony focused on bereaved families and a flower-laying tribute. Attendees included 14 bereaved family members of fallen firefighters, Governor Choo Mi-ae, and other fire officials. Participants watched a memorial video for the fallen firefighters before laying flowers, lighting incense, and observing a moment of silence at Haetae Park within the Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters.
In her memorial address, Governor Choo promised to strengthen safety measures for firefighters and improve their treatment. She stated, "The lives that firefighters must protect include their own. Both those waiting for rescue and those going to save them must return safely to their families." She emphasized the need to incorporate feedback from the field into safety measures and pledged to ensure that the treatment and respect for firefighters are improved.
The difference in scale compared to the first event held on October 19 last year is stark. At that time, Gyeonggi Province invested 100 million won to operate a seven-hour memorial and experiential program at the fire station and surrounding grassy area. The event featured portraits of 13 fallen firefighters, a memorial walk, a children's drawing contest, and hands-on experiences with emergency response and firefighting equipment. Approximately 5,500 people, including 12 bereaved families, participated in the event.
Jeong Yong-woo, chairman of the Future Fire Union, emphasized the need to expand the memorial for fallen firefighters. He stated, "The memorial event honoring the families of fallen firefighters and recognizing the sacrifices of their colleagues must be expanded and strengthened. This serves as a source of pride for current firefighters and can motivate them to face challenging situations in the field."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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