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"We are a lottery ticket that wins 100% of the time when you scratch it."
That is how one active-duty firefighter described his profession after the death of Fire Lieutenant Kim Jin-seok, who was killed battling a factory fire in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province. Why would a firefighter who runs into burning buildings compare himself to a guaranteed winning lottery ticket?
Twenty Minutes Before His Shift Ended, He Entered a Burning Factory
Kim died while fighting a fire that broke out at about 8:38 a.m. on the 16th at a factory in Nae-dong, Ojeong-gu, Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province.
He had just over 20 minutes left before finishing a 24-hour shift, and he reached the scene within five minutes of the emergency call. Believing people were trapped inside, he entered the third floor with colleagues, but flames and smoke spread rapidly and two firefighters became trapped.
Kim was rescued in cardiac arrest and taken to a hospital, where he died at 12:55 a.m. on the 17th. A funeral service was held at Bucheon Gymnasium on the 19th, and President Lee Jae-myung visited the memorial altar to pay his respects and posthumously awarded Kim the Order of Service Merit.
The death also renewed controversy over Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae's remark describing the fire service as a drain on finances. Speaking at a parliamentary audit of government agencies on the 13th, Choo said the fire service "seems like the biggest headache, a straw sucking up finances," drawing a backlash.
She apologized at the memorial altar on the 17th, but as the criticism continued, she met with fire service union officials on the 20th and said again, "I sincerely apologize to all firefighters who were hurt by my poor choice of words."
'If I Die, I Should Die Fighting a Fire': What the '1 Billion Won Lottery' Really Means
Amid the controversy, a post written by an active-duty firefighter about the "lottery" comment has drawn attention online.
On the 20th, the firefighter wrote on social media that someone had told them, "If a firefighter dies in the line of duty, the family has won the lottery. If 60,000 firefighters each chip in condolence money, that's 1 billion won."
The firefighter explained that when a colleague dies on duty, firefighters across the country collect condolence money for the bereaved family, and described how much that money means to those left behind.
"That's why among ourselves we joke that if we're going to die, we have to die fighting a fire," the firefighter wrote.
But the remark is not simply a joke, the post said. It is a kind of incantation firefighters repeat to themselves to overcome fear before entering a dangerous scene. "Even if it's hot, you have to go in. If I die, I should die fighting a fire. If I die fighting a fire, my family will be taken care of," the firefighter wrote. "It's an incantation that gives us courage."
"Just as you said, we are a lottery ticket that wins 100% of the time when you scratch it," the post added. "Thanks to that, we can squeeze out courage we don't have and run into the scene."
Comments from firefighters' families followed. The wife of one firefighter wrote, "I'm one of those family members who doesn't need that kind of lottery ticket and just wants her husband to come home safely."
Another wife wrote, "It's a lottery you never win no matter how often you buy it, so it's better not to receive it," expressing hope for her husband's safe return.
One citizen whose younger sibling works as a 119 paramedic said the sibling goes to work every day while taking psychiatric medication for post-traumatic stress disorder, adding, "They still remember in their heart the names of the patients they couldn't save."
From a Factory Raid to Questions Over a Delayed Rescue
Investigations and calls to establish the facts surrounding Kim's death are also continuing.
Police searched the Bucheon factory on the 21st and seized documents related to safety management and the storage of hazardous materials. The factory's chief executive has been booked on charges of professional negligence resulting in injury and professional negligence causing a fire, and police are investigating the cause of the blaze and whether safety rules were violated.
Fire service unions say authorities must also determine whether there were problems with on-site command and the rescue operation.
The fire service headquarters of the Korean Government Employees' Union, affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, held a news conference in front of the Gyeonggi Province government complex on the 20th and called for an investigative panel including the bereaved family, the union and outside experts.
The Korean Firefighters' Union, affiliated with the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, alleged that information on hazardous materials was relayed late and that the order to deploy a rapid intervention team (RIT) came too late.
The Gyeonggi Province Fire and Disaster Headquarters disputed that account, saying it ordered a rescue team in immediately after learning at 9:09 a.m. that firefighters were trapped. It said 9:20 a.m., the time at issue, was when an additional order was issued to make every effort in the rescue.
Discussions on expanding fire service funding are also under way. Choo has proposed converting 43.99% of the local education tax levied on tobacco consumption tax, which is set to expire at the end of this year, into a regional resource facility tax earmarked for the fire service. Gyeonggi Province expects the change would secure about 1.5 trillion won over four years if the law is amended.
Fire service unions said Choo's apology must lead to additional staffing and better working conditions, stressing that the cause of the accident must be thoroughly investigated so the same tragedy is not repeated.
