Singaporean Tourists Rescued on Bukhansan Send Handwritten Letters to Rescuers: "Our Heroes"

Thank You Letter Sent to Goyang Fire Station Mountain Rescue Team in Northern Gyeonggi
Four Singaporeans Say, "We Will Never Forget the Kindness in Korea" in a Sincere Letter
Dramatic Rescue of Citizen Facing Hypothermia on Mount Gukmangbong Also Draws Attention
Chief Kang Daehoon Says, "Proud of Our Dedicated Team Members"

It has come to light that a foreign tourist, who narrowly escaped a life-threatening situation thanks to the efforts of a Gyeonggi Province rescue team, sent a letter of gratitude, drawing public attention. The heroes of this story are the mountain rescue team from the Goyang Fire Station.

Letter from a Singapore Tourist (Photo in the letter shows the rescue team at the time of rescue). Provided by Gyeonggi Northern Fire and Disaster Headquarters

According to the Gyeonggi Northern Fire and Disaster Headquarters on January 9, four Singaporean tourists, who became stranded on Bukhansan Mountain last November while attempting to descend at night without lighting equipment, sent a thank-you letter to the Goyang Fire Station at the end of last month.

With little hiking experience and inadequate clothing and equipment, they were found by the Goyang Fire Station mountain rescue team near the Yaksoam Shelter on Bukhansan around 7 p.m. and were able to return home safely.

After returning to Singapore, they sent a letter expressing how moved they were by the Korean rescue team. In the letters, each written in memo form, the four stated, "Thank you for helping us in a dangerous moment," and "We will never forget the kindness we received in Korea," referring to the rescuers as "heroes" ("You are our HERO!"). They also left a message in Korean, written in awkward handwriting, saying "Thank you!"

Additionally, the story of a Gyeonggi Province firefighter who rescued a man in his 50s isolated during a winter hike has also spread online.

This man climbed Mount Gukmangbong (1,168 meters) in Pocheon alone on December 30 of last year and faced a life-threatening situation, but was dramatically rescued. After receiving a distress call from the man, who was suffering from hypothermia and whose life was in danger, the Northern 119 General Situation Room of the Gyeonggi Northern Fire and Disaster Headquarters decided to deploy a helicopter.

A helicopter rescue team member descended a rope on a steep, windy slope to conduct the rescue directly, and a Pocheon Fire Station crew safely transported the patient to a medical facility.

After receiving three days of treatment at Pocheon Medical Center and being discharged, the man posted a message on the Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters website, saying, "That day became the day I died and was reborn. I want to tell the Gyeonggi Northern Fire and Disaster Headquarters and the 119 crew that you are doing the most rewarding and noble work in the world," expressing his gratitude.

Kang Daehoon, head of the Northern Fire and Disaster Headquarters, stated, "I am proud of the team members who responded quickly and with dedication even in urgent situations," adding, "We will do our utmost to protect the lives and safety of our residents."