S-Oil CEO Anwar A. Al-Hejazi (seventh front right), S-Oil President Ryu Yull (six front right), Kim Hyun-hoon (eighth from right), chairman of the Korea National Council on Social Welfare, and award recipients pose for a photo during the 2026 Citizen Hero of the Year Awards at S-Oil headquarters in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on Thursday. (S-Oil)
S-Oil CEO Anwar A. Al-Hejazi (seventh front right), S-Oil President Ryu Yull (six front right), Kim Hyun-hoon (eighth from right), chairman of the Korea National Council on Social Welfare, and award recipients pose for a photo during the 2026 Citizen Hero of the Year Awards at S-Oil headquarters in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on Thursday. (S-Oil)

S-Oil honored 19 Koreans who risked their safety to help others in danger, presenting plaques and a combined 140 million won ($103,000) in prize money at a ceremony on Thursday.

The refiner held its 2026 Hero Citizen Award ceremony with the Korea National Council on Social Welfare at its headquarters in Mapo-gu, western Seoul.

Among the recipients were Ko Gyung-sik and Jeong Taek-eun, who were injured during rescue efforts. Each received 15 million won.

Ko suffered fractures while rescuing a wrecked vessel at Jeju Port in June, but managed to tow it to safety. Jeong was hospitalized at a burn treatment center after inhaling toxic smoke while fighting a residential fire in Jangan-dong in December last year.

“Citizens who demonstrate a spirit of self-sacrifice to help neighbors in danger are the true heroes of our society,” S-Oil CEO Anwar A. Al-Hejazi said. “S-Oil will continue to support and honor Hero Citizens who put others before themselves.”

Launched in 2008, S-Oil’s Hero Citizen Campaign recognizes those who showed exceptional courage for the sake of others. Over the past 19 years, the company has honored 369 people and awarded a total of 2.6 billion won in prize money.


hyejin2@heraldcorp.com