President Lee: “The government will be the fire service’s 119 and protect you” ... funding expansion

[Financial News] President Lee Jae Myung said at the 64th anniversary Fire Service Day ceremony on the 9th, “We will secure stable funding for the fire service and further expand investment in public safety.” He pledged to build an advanced firefighting system using artificial intelligence (AI), robots and drones. Immediately after the ceremony, he inspected firefighting equipment and reviewed research and development budgets and the status of technology cooperation with the defense sector.
At the ceremony held that day at the Sejong Art Center, President Lee said, “Just as the Korean fire service protects our people around the clock, the Korean government will be the fire service’s 119 and make sure to protect you.” About 800 people attended the ceremony, held under the slogan “The Korean Fire Service, a little god that saves lives and protects the world.” They included Minister of the Interior and Safety Yun Ho-jung, members of the National Assembly, fire service personnel, 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 and comprehensive fire safety protection, regardless of where they live,” adding, “We will work to expand the firefighting workforce and develop measures to strengthen the chain of command.”
On disasters becoming more varied and larger in scale amid the climate crisis, he said, “The fire service must change before disasters do.” He added, “We will also build an advanced, science-based fire service in which AI predicts hazards at the scene and robots and drones enter dangerous sites first.” He said technologies from the defense sector, including unmanned surface vessels and advanced textile fire-resistant suits, would also be put to use in firefighting.
President Lee stressed, “I know well that a strong fire service cannot be built with good equipment alone. When people trust that the state will take responsibility for them and their families to the very end, our firefighters will be able to carry out their duties with greater peace of mind.”
He pledged to pay close attention to the treatment and working conditions of fire service personnel. He said the government would support the National Fire Hospital, which opened this year, so it can provide specialized treatment for fire service personnel, and would also build a mind-body wellness center for psychological stability and mental health without delay.
Addressing by name the children of the late Fire Captain Park Seung-won, who died in the line of duty at a fire in Wando last April, he said, “Your father was a proud Korean firefighter who fulfilled his duty to the very end, saving the life of someone precious above all else and protecting this world where everyone can live safely.” Regarding support for families of firefighters who died in the line of duty, he also said, “I promise that the state will carefully look after the lives of the families and children left behind.”
President Lee urged the firefighters, “Please never forget that your mission is complete only when you return safely to the side of the family members and colleagues who are waiting for you so anxiously.” He added, “Please keep firmly in mind that the safety of our people cannot be guaranteed if the fire service itself is not safe.”
After the ceremony, he inspected firefighting equipment displayed outdoors and reviewed research and development budgets and the status of technology cooperation. Presidential Chief of Staff Im Gwang-hyeon, Minister Yun and National Fire Agency Commissioner Choi Yong-cheol accompanied him.
President Lee received explanations about unmanned breach-and-water-cannon vehicles, high-performance chemical fire engines, specialized wildfire suppression vehicles and tracked smoke-exhaust robots. When told that 44 unmanned breach-and-water-cannon vehicles were in operation, he asked, “Does that mean there are 44 across the country?” He also checked the equipment’s heat resistance.
He then asked Commissioner Choi, “About how much is next year’s research and development budget for firefighting equipment?” When Choi replied, “65 billion won in total,” President Lee mentioned the limitations of conducting research and development independently and called for cooperation with a defense research institute.
Commissioner Choi explained that joint research was underway with relevant ministries and that, together with a defense research institute, they were developing lightweight, heat-resistant firefighting suits using coatings, nanotechnology and other technologies. President Lee called on them to coordinate well among the relevant agencies and move the work forward.
After viewing the equipment, he posed for commemorative photos with fire service trainees and shook hands with each of them. He also joined them in taking a group selfie on a mobile phone.
[email protected] Choi Jong-geun, Seong Seok-woo Reporter