"Dad, Let's Meet Again"... Letter from 6-Year-Old Daughter of Firefighter Who Died in the Line of Duty

The word "Dispatch" beside a drawing of a 119 fire engine in the letter
Song Younggil: "I will do everything I can to ensure that a goodbye before leaving for work does not become a final farewell."

A letter written to her father by the young daughter of the late Fire Lieutenant Kim Jinseok, who died in the line of duty while fighting a fire in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, has been made public.

A letter written to her father by the daughter of the late Fire Lieutenant Kim Jinseok. Screenshot from the Facebook page of Song Younggil, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea.

A photo posted on Facebook on October 18 by Song Younggil, a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker representing Incheon Yeonsu-gap, showed a letter written by Kim’s daughter, who is due to start elementary school early next year.

Kim’s daughter began, “To my dad, whom I miss,” and wrote, “You passed away yesterday, but I miss you so much even now. We’re at the funeral home.” She continued, “I know that you loved me the most,” and wrote, “My dear dad, let’s meet again someday. By then, I’ll probably be all grown up.” She ended with, “I love you. My dad, whom I miss. I love you.” Beside the letter, she drew a fire truck with the word “Dispatch” written on it.

After paying his respects, Song said, “Seeing the portrait and the letter written to her father by his six-year-old daughter placed in front of it brought tears to my eyes.” He added, “The news of the fire came as he was finishing his night shift and preparing to hand over duties. He rushed to the scene out of a sense of duty. It is all the more heartbreaking that he was sent inside to fight the fire even though people had already evacuated and the building was empty.” He also said, “I cannot imagine how he could leave behind his beloved wife and daughter like this,” adding, “I resolve to do everything I can to prevent the tragedy of a firefighter’s farewell to their family before going to work becoming their last.”

A joint memorial altar for the late Fire Lieutenant Kim Jinseok, who died in the line of duty in a factory fire in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, is set up at Sejong Central Park, where the 3rd 119 Memorial Day Commemorative Festival is being held on the 17th. National Fire Agency

According to his family, Kim, an 11-year veteran firefighter, had completed a 24-hour shift and was due to leave work at 9 a.m. on the day of the fire. But when news of a fire at a metal injection molding and printing factory in Nae-dong, Ojeong-gu, Bucheon, came in at 8:38 a.m., he climbed aboard a fire engine without hesitation. Kim and three other firefighters, who were the first to arrive, immediately entered the building’s third floor to fight the fire. The flames spread in an instant, trapping two of them, including Kim, inside. The colleague who had entered with him was rescued with difficulty, but Kim was found in cardiac arrest 27 minutes later, about 5 meters farther inside. Kim, who had been married for eight years, had reportedly planned to move soon to an apartment in Gyeonggi Province and make a new home with his wife and daughter, who is due to start elementary school next year.

The government posthumously promoted Kim one rank, from fire sergeant to fire lieutenant, and awarded him the Order of Service Merit, Okjo Medal, in recognition of his service. It will also support his interment at a national cemetery.

In addition to Kim, who died, one firefighter in his 40s was seriously injured. Four other firefighters received hospital treatment for symptoms of heat exhaustion, while two factory employees were treated for smoke inhalation, bringing the total number of people who suffered injuries of varying severity to eight.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.