Fallen firefighter memorial draws 60 attendees, down from 5,500 last year

A memorial ceremony for firefighters killed in the line of duty drew about 60 attendees this year, a sharp drop from the more than 5,500 who participated last year.

Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae attended the second Gyeonggi Fire Department 119 Memorial Day on Saturday at the main auditorium of the Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters in Suwon.

In her memorial address, Choo pledged to strengthen safety measures and improve working conditions for firefighters, saying the lives firefighters are duty-bound to protect must include their own.

"Both the person waiting to be rescued and the person going in to rescue them must return safely to their families," she said. "I will make sure the voices from the field are reflected in our safety policies, and I will work to ensure there are no gaps in protecting firefighters — and I will absolutely change how they are treated and recognized."

About 60 people attended the event, including 14 family members of fallen firefighters, Choo and fire department officials.

In a solemn atmosphere, attendees watched a video commemorating colleagues who died in the line of duty, then moved to Haetae Park on the headquarters grounds, where they laid flowers, offered incense and observed a moment of silence.

This year's event was held on a far smaller scale than the inaugural ceremony, which drew thousands. The first Gyeonggi Fire Department 119 Memorial Day, held Oct. 19 last year, was staged across the fire headquarters building and its lawn using 100 million won ($75,500) in provincial funds.

The event ran for seven hours and featured a range of memorial and hands-on programs.

Portraits depicting the lives and stories of 13 firefighters who died in the line of duty were on display at the venue.

Programs included a memorial walk for bereaved families, firefighters and residents; a children's drawing contest; and hands-on experience with first aid and firefighting equipment.

Last year's event drew about 5,500 attendees, including families from 12 households of fallen firefighters.

This year, however, Gyeonggi Province drew up a supplementary budget focused on reducing expenditures to address a fiscal crisis, eliminating the event's funding entirely. The ceremony was held using about 7.5 million won in the fire and disaster headquarters' own administrative operating funds.