President Lee: “We’ll secure stable funding for the fire service ... the government will be the fire service’s 119”

[Financial News] President Lee Jae Myung said at the 64th Fire Service Day ceremony on the 9th that “we will secure stable funding for the fire service and further expand investment in public safety.”
At the ceremony held that day at the Sejong Arts Center, President Lee said, “Just as the Republic of Korea Fire Service protects our people day and night, the government of the Republic of Korea will be the 119 for our fire service and will make sure to protect you,” making the remarks.
The ceremony that day was held under the slogan “The Republic of Korea Fire Service: Little God Who Saves Lives and Protects the World.” Some 800 people attended, including Minister of the Interior and Safety Yun Ho-jung, members of the National Assembly, firefighters, volunteer firefighters, and families of firefighters who died in the line of duty.
President Lee said, “We will do our utmost to ensure that everyone receives equal, comprehensive fire safety, regardless of where they live.” He added that the government would “work to develop measures to expand the fire service workforce and strengthen its command system” so it can respond to all disasters swiftly and systematically.
On disasters becoming more varied and larger in scale amid the climate crisis, he said, “The fire service must change before disasters do,” adding, “We will also build an advanced, science-based fire service in which artificial intelligence predicts hazards at the scene and robots and drones enter dangerous locations first.” He said the government would also apply defense technologies to firefighting, including the introduction of unmanned surface vessels and the practical use of advanced-fiber fire-resistant gear.
President Lee said, “The government will pay even closer attention to the treatment and working conditions of firefighters who devote themselves in the field.” He said the government would support the National Fire Hospital, which opened this year, so it can provide specialized care to firefighters, and would also ensure the smooth construction of a mind-body wellness center to support firefighters’ psychological stability and mental health.
President Lee told the children of the late Fire Captain Park Seung-won, who died in the line of duty at a fire scene in Wando last April, “Your father was a proud firefighter of the Republic of Korea who fulfilled his duty to the very end, saving the life of someone precious and protecting this world where everyone can live safely.” He added, “I promise that the nation will carefully look after the lives of the family and children he left behind.”
On the results of disaster response, he said, “The rate of fire crews arriving at the scene within the golden time has risen, and deaths caused by fires have fallen by 15.7%.” He explained that although the number of wildfires this spring was similar to the previous year, firefighting helicopters arrived much sooner and the average time to extinguish fires fell significantly, with no deaths.
President Lee urged firefighters, saying, “Please never forget that your mission is complete only when you have returned safely to the families and colleagues who are eagerly waiting for you.”

[email protected] Seong Seok-woo Reporter