Firefighter's reply to 'lottery' remark on colleague's death draws reaction in South Korea
In short
After Fire Lieutenant Kim Jin-seok died following a factory fire in Bucheon, Gyeonggi, someone was quoted as saying a firefighter's family wins the lottery when one dies on duty. A serving firefighter and author, Baek Gyeong (a pen name), replied in a Threads post that went viral, and online readers responded with sympathy and criticism of the remark.
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Fire Lieutenant Kim Jin-seok died after responding to a factory fire in Bucheon, Gyeonggi, on 16 October, according to Newsis, Asia Economy and Hankook Ilbo. Asia Economy and Hankook Ilbo say he was injured at the fire and died the next day, while Newsis says he died while fighting the fire. Newsis reports that he was called out about 20 minutes before the end of a 24-hour shift. His funeral was held on 19 October at Bucheon Gymnasium. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Baek Gyeong, a serving firefighter and author of the book 'You Are More Precious' (당신이 더 귀하다), then wrote on Threads about the death. Asia Economy says Baek has been a firefighter since 2017 and writes under a pen name. Newsis and Asia Economy date the post to 19 October, while Hankook Ilbo says 18 October. Baek wrote that someone had said: 'If a firefighter dies on duty, the family has won the lottery. If 60,000 firefighters pool condolence money, it is 1 billion (10억).' The documents do not say who made the remark. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Baek wrote that colleagues collect condolence money for the family of a firefighter who dies. Asia Economy and Hankook Ilbo quote Baek as saying this is more than a civil servant could save in a lifetime and could buy an apartment in a provincial area and pay for the children's university education. Hankook Ilbo calls the collection a long-standing practice. [ 2 , 3 ]
Baek went on to say that firefighters joke among themselves that if they must die, they should die putting out a fire. Asia Economy and Hankook Ilbo quote Baek as saying the joke is not a joke but an incantation: 'I have to go in even if it is hot. If I die, I should die putting out a fire. If I die putting out a fire, my family has nothing to worry about.' Baek ended: 'As you say, we are a lottery that wins 100 percent when scratched. Thanks to that, I can squeeze out courage I did not have and run into the scene.' [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Online commenters responded with sympathy. Examples quoted include 'I do not need such a lottery, I just want my husband to come home safely' (Asia Economy and Hankook Ilbo) and 'A husband and father is worth more than 1 billion' (Hankook Ilbo). Newsis also quotes comments calling for safer working conditions and better equipment for firefighters. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Asia Economy reports that Kim was posthumously promoted one rank and awarded the Okjo Order of Service Merit. Only Newsis reports a related funding dispute. It says Gyeonggi Governor Chu Mi-ae caused controversy on 13 October by saying of fire service spending that 'the fire service is like the biggest troublesome financial straw'. After criticism grew following Kim's death, Chu apologised at a National Assembly audit on 19 October and met fire service union officials on 20 October to apologise in person, according to Newsis. [ 1 , 2 ]
Why it matters
The coverage shows public attention on how firefighters' deaths on duty are spoken about and on the condolence money colleagues collect for bereaved families. Newsis also links the debate to a controversy over fire service funding, though that point rests on one outlet.
Key facts
- Fire Lieutenant Kim Jin-seok died after responding to a factory fire in Bucheon, Gyeonggi, on 16 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- His funeral was held on 19 October at Bucheon Gymnasium. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Baek Gyeong, a serving firefighter and author of the book 'You Are More Precious' (당신이 더 귀하다), posted on Threads about the death. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Baek wrote that someone had said: 'If a firefighter dies on duty, the family has won the lottery. If 60,000 firefighters pool condolence money, it is 1 billion (10억).' [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Baek replied that firefighters joke among themselves that if they must die, they should die putting out a fire, and called the joke 'not a joke but an incantation'. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Baek ended the post with: 'As you say, we are a lottery that wins 100 percent when scratched. Thanks to that, I can squeeze out courage I did not have and run into the scene.' [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Online commenters said they would not want such a 'lottery' and wanted firefighters to return home safely. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Kim Jin-seok died after a factory fire in Bucheon on 16 October, and his funeral took place on 19 October. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Baek Gyeong's Threads post quoted an unnamed person likening a firefighter's death on duty to winning the lottery, and Baek answered that firefighters tell themselves to die putting out a fire. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Colleagues in the fire service collect condolence money for the family of a firefighter who dies on duty. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Online readers responded with sympathy and said they would not want such a 'lottery'. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Who made the 'lottery' remark. The documents describe it only as said by 'someone' (누군가); none identifies the speaker or says where it was said.
- The date of Baek's post. Newsis and Asia Economy say 19 October; Hankook Ilbo says 18 October and quotes Baek as saying 'yesterday (17th)'.
- When Kim died. Asia Economy and Hankook Ilbo say he was injured at the fire on 16 October and died the next day; Newsis says he died fighting the fire on 16 October.
- Which part of Bucheon the factory is in. Asia Economy and Hankook Ilbo place it in Ojeong District; Hankook Ilbo adds Naedong and calls it a metal injection printing factory; Newsis says only Bucheon.
- Link between the Gyeonggi governor's remark on fire service funding and Kim's death. Only Newsis reports that Governor Chu Mi-ae said on 13 October that the fire service is 'like the biggest troublesome financial straw', that criticism grew after Kim's death, and that she apologised on 19 and 20 October.