Yoon: "Significantly Raise Fire Commanders' Ranks... Establish Command Authority"

President Yoon Attends 'Firefighters' Day Ceremony'... "Elevated the Status of the Republic of Korea"
Urges Distribution of Mobile Firefighting Water Tanks for Firefighter Safety and Efficiency
Promises Improvement in Treatment Including Expansion of Personal Protective Equipment, Establishment of Firefighter Hospitals, and Rank Adjustments

President Yoon Suk-yeol stated on the 9th, "We will spare no support until the fire service organization has the world's best disaster response system." In particular, President Yoon promised to improve the treatment of fire service personnel by expanding protective gear and raising the ranks of local fire commanders to establish clear command authority.

On the same day, President Yoon attended the '61st Firefighters' Day Commemoration Ceremony' held at the lawn yard of Yongsan Children's Garden in Seoul, where he met and encouraged firefighters and bereaved families.

President Yoon Suk-yeol delivers a commemorative speech at the 61st Firefighting Day ceremony held on the lawn of Yongsan Children's Garden in Seoul on the 9th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

This commemoration was organized to encourage the 170,000 fire service families who have done their best for the safety of the people at the forefront of disaster sites. Before the event, President Yoon met with bereaved families of fallen firefighters to express his condolences and gratitude. After listening to the final operational radio communication of Lee Bung-rak, head of the Field Response Unit at Chilgok Fire Station in Gyeongbuk, who is retiring after 31 years of service at disaster sites, he encouraged the response unit leader who was present.

In his commemorative speech, President Yoon said, "The public calls on you first at various disaster sites where life and safety are threatened," and praised, "The dedication and solidarity shown at the T?rkiye earthquake relief site and the Canadian wildfire site have elevated the status of the Republic of Korea." He added, "Firefighters, who are responsible for the lives and safety of the people, have one of the most dangerous jobs," and explained, "The reason young people aspire to become firefighters is because you have set an example, and the future of the Republic of Korea is truly bright."

He instructed government officials to strengthen on-site systems. President Yoon emphasized, "We will build a next-generation fire system that can automatically analyze the priority of emergency dispatch using artificial intelligence technology," and added, "To respond to electric vehicle fire accidents, we will expand mobile fire extinguishing tanks and accelerate the distribution of firefighting robots for sites that are difficult for humans to access."

He also promised to improve treatment. President Yoon said, "I have always emphasized respect and treatment for uniformed officials," and pledged to spare no support for the safety and welfare of firefighters, including expanding personal protective gear, establishing a national fire hospital to treat severe burns and post-traumatic stress disorder. In particular, he mentioned, "We will significantly raise the ranks of local fire commanders to the level of police officers to establish command authority at disaster sites." This measure considers the current limitation where the rank of fire headquarters chiefs is lower than that of supporting agencies, restricting unified command during disaster situations at various sites.

Meanwhile, on the same day, President Yoon personally awarded medals and presidential citations to four individuals, including Eom Jun-wook, Fire Commissioner of Incheon Fire Headquarters, and Ahn Jae-young, Chief of the Volunteer Fire Brigade in Yuseong District, Daejeon. The ceremony was attended by bereaved families of fallen firefighters, firefighters from cities and provinces nationwide, and attach?s from the embassies of T?rkiye and Canada in Korea.

President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee are saluting the national flag at the 61st Firefighters' Day ceremony held on the lawn of Yongsan Children's Garden in Seoul on the 9th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]