"I Hesitated to Help the Collapsed Student"... Many Relate to the Bitter Experience [What Do You Think?]

[The Financial News] A citizen who helped a female student who collapsed in the subway shared a bittersweet account online, which has sparked widespread discussion among netizens.

On the online community Bobaedream, a netizen posted on the 2nd about an incident they experienced while riding a Seoul Subway Line 4 train toward Sadang Station on their way to an appointment.
The poster, referred to as A, recalled, "Near Seoul Grand Park Station, before arriving, I witnessed a female student suddenly lose consciousness and collapse. If it had been a male student, I would have rushed over immediately, but since it was a female student, I hesitated to intervene."
It appears that memories of men being mistaken for sexual offenders while trying to help unconscious or fainting women came to mind. Fortunately, a female passenger nearby approached the collapsed student and repeatedly checked her condition, asking if she was okay, while another citizen called the 119 emergency number for assistance.
A explained, "I couldn't approach recklessly. After observing the situation for about 30 seconds, I went over and checked her pupils, which seemed responsive, so I spoke to her and used her bag and clothes to make a pillow for her head."
After confirming that the student was responsive, A got off at the station, asked another female passenger to help move the student to a bench, and stayed until the station staff and the 119 emergency number arrived.
A added, "I was 15 minutes late for my appointment, but I did a good deed today. Still, in times like these, it's hard to react immediately in such situations without hesitation. It was a day that made me think about many things."
A concluded, "Later, the 119 emergency number contacted her parents and informed me that she was taken to the hospital. Since it seems there won't be any issues, I'm trying to put it behind me."

As the story spread, many online pointed out the social climate where people fear misunderstandings or legal disputes when providing emergency assistance.
While some praised the act, saying, "The world is still warm," and "It's a relief someone helped," others expressed concern about potential misunderstandings, with comments like, "Don't feel at ease until the rescued person decides not to report you."
One netizen remarked, "It's a world where you have to worry about being suspected even when trying to help someone. I remember a news story where a husband sued for sexual harassment after someone saved his unconscious wife in a car," referencing media reports.
There were also practical tips for emergency situations, such as, "If you suddenly lift the legs of a collapsed person too high, it could cause shock," and "Since seizures or epilepsy are possible, you shouldn't forcibly restrain or hold the person down."
Currently, South Korea has enforced the Emergency Medical Service Act since 2008. Commonly known as the Good Samaritan law, it includes provisions that reduce or exempt civil and criminal liability for damages incurred while providing emergency aid. However, the exemption only applies to medical acts like first aid, and there is no legal obligation to assist others in dangerous situations.
y27k@fnnews.com Seo Yoon-kyung Reporter