Former firefighter Bang Jeong-o dedicated nearly 12 years to becoming a full-time firefighter, working as a fire truck driver before he died of cardiac arrest while on duty in 1991. His son, Fire Chief Bang Jang-seok, hesitated to apply for his father's memorial placement, questioning whether it was appropriate since he did not die in the line of duty. Earlier this year, the Chungnam Fire Headquarters reached out to him, allowing his father's memorial to be placed at the Fire Memorial.
On June 6, the National Fire Agency, led by Commissioner Kim Seung-ryong, held a ceremony at the Fire Memorial in Cheonan, Chungnam, to honor 23 fallen firefighters on the 71st Memorial Day.
The Fire Memorial, established in 2001 following the Hongje-dong arson incident, honors the spirits of fallen firefighters and was designated as an official memorial site by the Ministry of Veterans Affairs in April 2022. The Hongje-dong incident occurred on March 4, 2001, when a fire in a multi-family home in the Hongje-dong area of Seoul resulted in the deaths of six firefighters on the scene.
The ceremony was attended by over 200 people, including family members of the 23 fallen firefighters, the National Fire Agency Commissioner, the head of the Eastern Chungnam Veterans Affairs Office, and fellow firefighters, who gathered to pay their respects.
To date, 464 memorial plaques have been placed at the Fire Memorial, and with the addition of the 23 new plaques, the total now stands at 487.
Among those honored were former firefighter Lee Byeong-du, who died in the line of duty in August 2024 after 31 years of service in firefighting and rescue operations, and firefighter Gu Hyeong-seo, who succumbed to an illness related to on-site activities. Fire Chief Lim Seung-yun, who died this year from a lung disease acquired during his service, was also recognized.
The 23 fallen firefighters being honored include: the late Kang Ji-hoon, Kim Nak-gil, Kim Dong-hyeok, Kim Seung-hee, Kim Eul-young, Gu Hyeong-seo, Park I-kyu, Park Yeong-gon, Bang Jeong-o, An Dong-cheon, Lee Byeong-du, Lee Sang-yeong, Lee Yong-ho, Lee Chan-won, Lee Chang-geun, Lim Seung-yun, Lim Hyeon-kyu, Oh Hwi-gwon, Yoon Jae-han, Jo Hyeok-yeon, Choi In-ho, Choi Tae-geun, and Choi Hong.
The criteria for memorial plaque placement include firefighters, volunteer firefighters, medical firefighters, and social service personnel who died in the line of duty or while performing duties for public safety. Each year, families submit applications for memorial plaques, which are reviewed by the National Fire Agency's memorial plaque review committee.
The Fire Memorial, titled 'Light of Resurrection,' features a design that symbolizes the flow of water from a fire hose, with the outer towers representing the hose and the central memorial tower embodying the spirits of the fallen, symbolizing light and the embrace of their memory.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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