[Exclusive] 76 Firefighters Die in Line of Duty in 5 Years... Support Trails U.S., France

Firefighter deaths in the line of duty have numbered in the double digits each year
Illness accounts for about 83% of deaths

Overseas, long-term support for bereaved families is part of honoring fallen firefighters
Jin Jong-oh: "We must suppo

A firefighter died while battling a factory fire in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, last month, and the number of firefighters who have died in the line of duty over the past five years has recently surpassed 70. Although tragic losses continue to occur every year, the recognition and support provided to these firefighters and their bereaved families remain inadequate compared with those in major developed countries such as the United States and France.

Jin Jongoh, a People Power Party lawmaker on the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee

According to data from the National Fire Agency obtained by Jin Jongoh, a People Power Party lawmaker on the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee, a total of 76 firefighters died in the line of duty from 2021 through last year. The figure surged from 9 in 2021 to 23 in 2022 and has remained in double digits each year since. Twelve firefighters lost their lives last year.

Most deaths in the line of duty were due to illness: 63 firefighters, or 82.90% of the total. Ten firefighters died while fighting fires. By region, cases were concentrated in areas with large firefighting workforces, including Gyeonggi (10), Seoul (9), and Busan and South Jeolla (8 each).

Support and recognition for firefighters who die in the line of duty fall short of the standards in major countries. In South Korea, when a firefighter dies in the line of duty, the bereaved family receives financial assistance, including about KRW 350 million in compensation and a survivor's pension, as well as some psychological support. The government also holds a memorial event with an annual budget of KRW 100 million. Children's tuition is covered through university.

By contrast, other countries focus not only on one-time compensation or memorial events but also on long-term support to help bereaved families, particularly children, become self-reliant. In the United States, the government provides assistance with various living expenses in addition to children's tuition and operates a government-led scholarship program. France grants children a separate legal status under its national policy of providing care and offers various forms of support until they enter the workforce. It also has a professional relief foundation, ODP, that supports them throughout their lives.

Rep. Jin said, "The state's responsibility should not end with paying compensation or holding memorial events. Supporting the education and living expenses of children left behind until they complete their studies and become self-reliant, and consistently helping bereaved families recover psychologically, is a fitting way to honor those who sacrificed their lives for the country."

Improving their legal status is also an urgent task. Under the current Act on the Honorable Treatment of and Support for Persons of Distinguished Service to the State, firefighters who die in the line of duty are classified and honored as "military and police" personnel, grouped together with soldiers and police officers, without an independent legal status. Critics say this fails to reflect the specific nature of firefighters' duties and their distinct working conditions.

Hong Suntak, chair of the National Fire Safety Officials Union, said, "The national veterans card identifies firefighters who died in the line of duty only as military and police personnel, and awards differ according to their [military or police] rank, even though the weight of their sacrifice is no different. I hope the government will pay more attention to honoring them."

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