Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon on Monday mourned the passing of two firefighters killed when a burning building collapsed a day earlier, saying the government will honor their sacrifice with maximum respect and support, including decorating them with state medals.
"I pray for the souls of the two firefighters," Lee said in a Facebook posting, promising to treat them with maximum respect, including designating them as state heroes, which makes bereaved family members eligible for various state benefits, and conferring state medals upon them.
(Yonhap)
The firefighters were killed on Sunday while battling a pre-dawn fire at a traditional building in the east coast city of Gangneung, which was designated as an unofficial cultural asset. The building collapsed and buried the firefighters alive.
Lee also pledged to improve the working conditions of firefighters.
"I hope there won't be any more sacrifices of firefighters," he said. "The average lifespan of South Koreans is 81 years, but that of firefighters is 59." (Yonhap)
