Gyeongju Bus 51 Driver Kim Suchan's Heartwarming Journey with Visually Impaired Foreign Passenger

A heartwarming story has emerged from Gyeongju, where a city bus driver gave a ride in his own car to a visually impaired foreign passenger who was struggling to reach his destination after the bus route ended.

The main character of this story is Kim Suchan, age 65, a driver of bus number 51 with Saecheonyeonmiso Co., Ltd.

On the night of the 1st, foreign male and female passengers heading to KTX Gyeongju Station were seated on bus number 51 traveling through downtown Gyeongju.

On the night of Friday, August 1, Kim noticed a foreign man and woman boarding his bus in downtown Gyeongju, heading to KTX Gyeongju Station (formerly SinGyeongju Station).

However, at that time, the last stop for bus number 51 was not Gyeongju Station, but in front of Munhwa High School, which is 7.8 kilometers away from the station.

As the bus neared its final stop late at night, the two foreign passengers appeared confused and lost inside the bus.

In particular, the male passenger, who was visually impaired and holding a walking cane, found himself in a difficult situation together with his female companion.

Observing this from the driver's seat, Kim told them, "Please wait a moment," and after finishing his shift, personally drove the two passengers to Gyeongju Station in his own car.

This story became known thanks to Kang Hoji, head of the industrial team at the Naenam-myeon Administrative Welfare Center in Gyeongju, who happened to be commuting home on the same bus.

Kang Hoji shared the story and a photo he took with the passengers' consent after witnessing the situation.

In the photo, the female passenger covers her face with her hand, saying she was embarrassed, but both passengers expressed their gratitude to Kim for his help that night.

Kim Suchan said, "Anyone would have done the same in that situation. I am simply happy that the visitors to Gyeongju were able to complete their trip without inconvenience."

Previously, in 2021, Kim had also saved a passenger's life with CPR during a cardiac arrest incident and was awarded the 'TS Transportation Safety Hero Award.'

Joo Nakyoung, mayor of Gyeongju, stated, "I am grateful for the dedication of drivers who quietly serve citizens and visitors on the front lines of local transportation," and added, "I hope this kindheartedness will be remembered for a long time by those who visit Gyeongju."