S-Oil Corp. held the “2012 Hero Neighbors Award” ceremony in Seoul on Friday to congratulate 19 winners.

The oil refinery company has annually selected “hero neighbors” who it judged made noble sacrifices and showed great courage to help their fellow citizens in danger.

The company selected the 19 winners at the recommendation of the National Police Agency and the Ministry of Health and Welfare and by deliberation of a panel of experts.

The winners, who won a trophy and 20 million won each, included the families of the late Lee Jae-hong, who drowned after saving a child from the water, and the late police sergeant Kim Jae-ik, who died while doing volunteer work after a night shift.

Others included baseball commentator Lee Byung-hoon, who caught a sex offender after a severe fight, and Postman Cheon In-ho, who saved his neighbor from a fire.

By Seo Jee-yeon (jyseo@heraldcorp.com)