President Moon Jae-in (center) examines pieces of burnt protective gear worn by firefighters at the scene of a fire. Choi Song-seop (left), head of the Yongsan Fire Station, explains how the emergency response unfolded. Actor Yoo Ji-tae (right) looks on.

By Sohn JiAe
Photos = Cheong Wa Dae

“You are the nation.”

This is the note that President Moon Jae-in left during a visit to the Yongsan Fire Station in Seoul on June 7.

Meeting with a group of 40-or-so firefighters and first responders, President Moon said, “The first reason why a nation exists is to protect the lives of the people and to keep them safe. At the forefront of doing this is you, our firefighters,” he said.

President Moon Jae-in talks with a group of firefighters at the Yongsan Fire Station in Seoul on June 7. The president pledged to improve working conditions, including an increase in the number of firefighters and first responders.

The president shook hands with each firefighter, and even poured his own coffee, as he offered words of encouragement. President Moon listened carefully to some of them talk about some ordeals they have faced working as first responders and rescue workers. One female firefighter had to juggle her job and her children’s needs, and one first responder suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after he witnessed a horrendous sight at one rescue.

One of the firefighters was Choi Gil-su. He once shielded a person trapped inside a burning building against the fire, receiving burns to his body. “I was in such danger and I felt like I was going to die. Although I was fully equipped with fire-fighting equipment, I was really shocked by the horrible experience,” Choi said. “The problem is that I have to take sick leave to get burn treatments, and someone else should fill in for me during my leave. However, we`re always short of staff. I hope that you, as president, will take some action to address this problem,” he said.

“When I visited here back in 2015, I heard the same difficulties that I do today. Working conditions for our firefighters have not much improved, it seems,” President Moon said.

“However, back then as non-president, I only called for better treatment of you. Now, as president, I`m in a position to take care of it,” he said, as he promised to increase the number of fire fighters and rescue workers, as well as to improve equipment.

President Moon Jae-in (right) talks with a group of firefighters at the Yongsan Fire Station in Seoul on June 7 as he pours coffee for them.

President Moon Jae-in (third from left) and actor Yoo Ji-tae help some visiting children learn how to use a fire extinguisher, during a fire prevention education class at the Yongsan Fire Station in Seoul on June 7.

President Moon Jae-in (right) attends a fire prevention education class for children, together with actor Yoo Ji-tae, at the Yongsan Fire Station in Seoul on June 7.

President Moon Jae-in (right) examines some burnt equipment worn by a firefighter at the scene of an emergency, during a visit to the Yongsan Fire Station in Seoul on June 7.

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