President Lee: "Government Will Be the Fire Service's 119," Vows Stable Funding

President Lee attends 64th Firefighting Day ceremony on Nov. 9
"Fire safety for everyone, regardless of where they live"
To children of firefighters who died in the line of duty at the ceremony
"Always hold on to your pride in your father"

President Lee Jae-myung said on Nov. 9, Firefighting Day, “We will secure stable funding for the fire service and further expand investment in public safety. Just as the Korean fire service protects our people around the clock, the Korean government will be the 119 for our firefighters and will protect you.”

President Lee made the remarks at the ceremony marking the 64th anniversary of Firefighting Day, held in Sejong City on Nov. 9. “We will do our utmost to ensure that everyone receives equal and comprehensive fire safety protection, regardless of where they live,” he said. He added, “The government will also work to expand the firefighting workforce and strengthen the command system so that the fire service can respond to all disasters swiftly and systematically.”

President Lee Jaemyung delivers commemorative remarks at a ceremony marking the 64th anniversary of Firefighting Day in Sejong Special Self-Governing City on Nov. 9, 2026. Yonhap News Agency

Earlier, Gyeonggi Governor Choo Mi-ae said during a National Assembly audit on Oct. 13 that “the fire service seems like the biggest headache and a major drain on finances.” After criticism mounted, Choo apologized for her remarks and asked the National Assembly to increase national government funding. In response, the ruling party and the government held a high-level consultation on Nov. 8 to discuss ways to ease local governments’ financial burden for the fire service.

President Lee also said, “We will build an advanced, science-based fire service in which artificial intelligence predicts hazards at the scene and robots and drones enter dangerous sites first. We will also actively apply advanced defense technologies to firefighting, including the introduction of unmanned surface vessels and the practical application of advanced-fiber firefighting suits, to ensure firefighters’ safety.”

“When people believe 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,” President Lee said. “The government will pay even closer attention to the treatment and working conditions of fire service personnel who dedicate themselves in the field.” He also pledged to support the National Fire Service Hospital and ensure the uninterrupted construction of a center for mental and physical training.

On the significance of the number 119, President Lee said, “It embodies the belief and hope that if I am in danger, someone will definitely come to save me. To protect this precious and heartfelt trust of the public, one thing is more important than anything else: your own safety.” He urged them, “Please never forget that your mission is complete only when you return safely to the families and colleagues who are eagerly waiting for you.”

President Lee Jaemyung greets family members of firefighters who died in the line of duty as he enters a ceremony marking the 64th Firefighting Day in Sejong Special Self-Governing City on Nov. 9, 2026. Yonhap News Agency

He also praised the dedication and achievements of fire service personnel. “Thanks to your tireless dedication, the rate of arrival at fire scenes within the golden hour has risen, and deaths caused by fires have fallen by 15.7%,” President Lee said. “Most meaningful of all, not a single person died in a wildfire.” He also cited the response to heavy rains in Geoje and Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, and the extinguishing of a fire at a logistics warehouse in Incheon as achievements.

“Since this year, we have operated fire helicopters nationwide as an integrated fleet and strengthened the nationwide transport system for emergency patients, enabling us to save many more lives,” he said. “Transporting a high-risk pregnant woman carrying triplets from Pyeongtaek to Seoul, and an emergency patient who was pregnant from Jeju to Ulsan, were valuable examples showing that regional boundaries do not exist when it comes to saving lives.”

President Lee also paid tribute to Fire Lieutenant Kim Jin-seok, who died in the line of duty in a recent factory fire in Bucheon. “Not long ago, we lost a capable firefighter, a devoted husband, and a proud father,” he said. “I also extend my deepest respect and comfort to the fellow firefighters who, despite losing a colleague to the flames, had to rush back to another fire scene.”

Also attending the ceremony were the children of the late Fire Captain Park Seung-won, who died in the line of duty at a fire scene in Wando in April. President Lee told them, “Your father was a proud firefighter who fulfilled his duty to the very end, saving the life of someone precious and protecting a world where everyone can live safely. I hope you will always hold on to your pride in your father and bravely pursue your own dreams.”

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