[Life] “Please, don’t just leave me in the concrete pile.”

[※ Editor's note = The interview article with former firefighter Kim Sang-cheol is being delivered in three parts. This is the second time we have dealt with issues such as rescue activities and compensation for firefighters. The main topic of the first article, submitted on November 3, was the problems caused by the central government's share of only 10% of the fire budget. The third article, which will be published after next week, will cover personnel issues and structural issues among firefighters. [Life] is an autobiographical interview, so it includes personal stories and photos.]

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Senior Reporter Geunyoung Yoon = It was around work time on the evening of June 29, 1995. Suddenly there was an emergency. The Sampoong Department Store in Gangnam collapsed. At the time, as a rescuer at the Central Fire Station, I immediately rushed to the scene with my colleagues. There was a risk of secondary collapse of the remaining building, but we immediately began rescue efforts.

It was about a week after the department store collapsed. At dawn, a human voice could be faintly heard from within the concrete pile. It was a faint sound like “Please help me.” After checking again and again, it was clear that there were survivors. The rescue operation was dangerous. If the concrete pile collapsed, both the survivors and rescuers could lose their lives.

I tied the rope around my waist and worked very carefully. We had to move forward little by little while making room for people to enter the concrete pile. I used a hydraulic spreader to create space and went out by propping it up on a pedestal to prevent it from collapsing. However, difficulties due to rebar and concrete debris were increasing. The distance that could be advanced in one hour was only 30cm at most.

Finally, the woman lying down came into view. I asked if he was feeling okay. He was unable to move, but appeared to have no injuries other than abrasions. After confirming this, I tried to go out again. There was an obstacle ahead and we had to go out and discuss how to remove it.

But then the woman (in her 20s) spoke earnestly. “Please, don’t just leave me here.” He was afraid that we might give up on him. I said I was never running away. “I will definitely rescue you,” he said. We worked for over 20 hours and eventually succeeded in rescuing the woman. I collapsed immediately after being rescued and had to be evacuated and receive an IV.

This is what former firefighter Kim Sang-cheol said in an interview with Yonhap News. The interviews were conducted three times starting on October 22nd. The interview location was former firefighter Kim’s office in Incheon.

In an interview, he said, "The mission of firefighters is to save the lives of citizens and protect the people's property even at the risk of their own lives. In addition to fire scenes, firefighters work in almost all fields, including traffic accidents, mountain accidents, aircraft accidents, landslides, valleys and rivers, ocean accidents, and typhoon damage sites."

Former firefighter Kim said, "Firefighters, soldiers, and police officers cannot shake the feeling that they are being treated poorly by the state even though they are dedicated to doing dangerous work for the nation and the people."

Former firefighter Kim was born in Ilsan, Gyeonggi-do in 1967 and graduated from middle and high school in this area. After completing five years of service in the Special Forces, he worked at the Seoul and Gyeonggi area fire departments for 32 years starting in 1992, in charge of various tasks including lifesaving, fire suppression, and fire administration.

He conducted rescue activities at the Seongsu Bridge collapse in 1994, the Sampoong Department Store collapse in 1995, and the Hongje-dong fire site in 2001.

Former firefighter Kim studied whenever he had time and received a doctorate in policy studies from Hansung University. His books include ‘I am Kim Sang-cheol, a Korean firefighter’, ‘Fire Administration’, ‘Fire Command Theory’, and ‘Fire Psychology’. He also published ‘Modern Society and Life Safety’.

He retired from the Seocho Fire Station in Seoul in 2024 and is currently running his own business and engaging in various activities to raise awareness of firefighting issues.

Next is the second article of the interview, Q&A

-- On June 29, 1995, when the Sampoong Department Store collapsed, you worked as a rescue team at the Central Fire Department. Please tell us about the situation at that time.

▲ Immediately after the collapse of the department store, 10 rescue workers were dispatched. When I first arrived at the scene, it was chaos. Flames and smoke were rising everywhere, and crackling electric sparks were also happening everywhere. Debris continued to fall with a patter. We quickly descended to a pile of concrete that sat about 20 meters below the ground. There was no ladder installed, so we went down using a rope. There was concern about the possibility of a secondary collapse of the remaining buildings that did not collapse, but rescue work had to be done quickly. We spent 45 days there rescuing people and recovering bodies.

-- Was the rescue operation carried out systematically?

▲ The scene in the beginning was very confusing. This is because the disaster response and command system was not properly established. There were many people in charge here and there, so there was no overall unity. Rescue workers worked wearing cloth masks and could not wash them properly. I slept almost anywhere on site.

-- You said you personally rescued a woman in her 20s.

▲ It had been about a week since the department store collapsed. This was before the ‘miracle survivors’ Choi Myeong-seok (rescued 11 days after the collapse), Yoo Ji-hwan (13th), and Park Seung-hyeon (17th) were rescued. We were patrolling a concrete pile at dawn. This was because there was no noise at that time, so survivors' voices could be heard better. But then, very faintly, I heard a human voice. I shouted loudly, “If anyone is there, try shouting.” Then I heard a faint sound like “Please help me.” I asked him to scream again, but his voice was thin and hoarse. It was clear that there were survivors.

-- Has the rescue operation begun?

▲ First of all, the higher-ups reported that there were survivors. We asked the outside world to keep it a secret, but if this fact were made public, reporters from media companies would flock to the site and the scene would become very confused. We had to approach the survivors very carefully. If we were not careful, the concrete pile could have collapsed. We secured enough space for just one body to fit in, then placed ourselves on a pedestal and made space again to move forward. Equipment such as hydraulic spreaders was used for the work. However, it was difficult to advance even 30 centimeters per hour. This is because a lot of rebar must be cut and concrete debris must be removed. I was in charge of the lead work. Because he was the slimmest person.

-- Did you finally reach the survivors?

▲ Debris was removed using the delivery-delivery-delivery method, and the necessary equipment was received in the same way. In this way, I reached the survivor with difficulty, and he was in a state where it was difficult for him to even turn his head. This is because the concrete structure was pressing down from above. I asked, “Try moving your toes. How do you feel?”, “Are your fingers moving?”, “Are they in an uncomfortable place?” Fortunately, he didn't seem to be seriously injured other than abrasions. I kept asking him, “I have to live,” “Where is your home?,” and “How old are you?” This was to prevent him from losing consciousness.

-- What did you do when you fully approached it?

▲ When I got close enough to hand over the item, I gave him a wet towel and told him to wet his lips with it. He then gave me a small plastic bottle of water and told me not to drink it all at once, but to rinse my mouth first. He then asked me to drink very little, as if pouring water.

-- What do I particularly remember from the conversation I had with the woman in the concrete pile?

▲ He said, “I’m really, really thankful.” He was so exhausted that he didn't say much, but his eyes were very earnest. He was also afraid that we might give up on him. I said, “I will definitely get it, so don’t worry.” In this way, the woman emerged from the concrete pile after about 20 hours of rescue work. It had been more than a week since the department store collapsed.

-- The collapse of Sampoong Department Store caused significant casualties.

▲ 502 people died and 6 went missing. The number of injured reached 937. It was the largest casualty of any single accident that occurred in Korea so far. The department store did not evacuate people even though there were clear signs of danger an hour before the complete collapse. This appears to be due to concerns that the image of the department store would suffer. If people had been sent out quickly then, the casualties would have been much reduced.

-- Are there any lessons Korea has learned from this accident?

▲ I don’t think I learned my lesson. Even after that, didn't several major accidents, such as the Sewol Ferry disaster and the Itaewon disaster, continue to occur? Although they take different forms, they are ultimately disasters that occur for similar reasons. The Sampoong Department Store accident was fundamentally caused by insensitivity to safety and an attitude of valuing money over life. There were also many factors, including collusion between politics and business, poor construction, and complacency among public officials.

-- You said you saw the true face of Korean society at the scene. What was that story?

▲ Some people at the collapse site had strange gait. When I stopped him, I saw that he was wearing 7 pairs of suit pants. It was theft. Some people went out carrying cameras on their shoulders. He pretended to be a reporter filming and stole it. ATMs were broken, and jewelry from department stores disappeared.

-- It seems like the work of firefighters is very diverse beyond fire suppression.

▲ Firefighters work in almost every field. We rescue not only people in fires but also people who are drowning. I once lifted a person floating in the rapids during a flood in Jeongneung Valley in Seoul. After hearing that a person was floating, they hung on to the 119 rescue truck crane for 20 minutes and succeeded in rescuing the person. Even if it is not a disaster like this, there are quite a few people who fall into the Han River in the summer. Some people bet on swimming across the Han River when they are drunk, and I wish they would stop doing such reckless things.

-- I heard you do a lot of mountain rescues.

▲ There are people who fall while climbing rocks with their bare hands, and it is the rescuers' job to bring them to safety. There are people who climb the mountain wearing slippers or shoes, people who hike after drinking alcohol, people who hike at night carelessly, and people who go on places other than hiking trails. These people have a relatively high risk of falling into dangerous situations. If you go to the mountains, you must wear proper hiking clothes and go to a safe place. There are quite a few people who call for rescue after trying to climb the mountain. It becomes even more dangerous if you are isolated in a location without cell phone service.

-- If there is another fire department rescue area.

▲ They also help pull out people who have been involved in traffic accidents from crushed cars. They also rescue citizens and pets that have fallen into sewers. Some people ask to find their stray cat. Firefighters also remove beehives and large icicles, which may seem like an easy task, but depending on their location, the work can be dangerous. Fire department rescue workers also enter the home of a person who dies alone and take care of the situation. In addition, firefighters perform many tasks that are difficult for ordinary people to imagine.

-- If you give that example

▲ A thief entered a house and stole money, but got caught between the walls and was unable to move. Because the body was under pressure, blood flow was not smooth, and as a result, the body was partially swollen and pinched even more. I rescued the thief by carefully partially destroying the fence using hydraulic equipment. Of course, the thief was handed over to the police.

-- You said you also solved a hostage incident.

▲ One time, we were dispatched to OO Apartment in Seoul. This time it was a hostage incident. When I went to the scene, I saw a man in his 50s holding a woman of the same age at the end of the hallway of a hallway-style apartment and pointing a weapon at her. Next to it was the LPG cylinder he had placed. This dangerous situation lasted about 20 minutes, but the police could not find a solution. Eventually our rescue team moved.

-- How did you do it?

▲ The police deliberately continued to talk loudly as they approached little by little to attract the person's attention. Meanwhile, my fellow crew members and I secretly went upstairs. Then, a fellow member secretly went down by hanging upside down on a rope using the inverted rappel method. A fellow member of the crew, who stuck his head out a little to ensure visibility, told me what the person was doing and in what position. After hearing that, I pictured the situation in my mind, broke the window, jumped, and overpowered him. This was possible because he received anti-terrorism training during his time as a special forces officer. That colleague is also from the Special Forces.

-- Is resolving hostage incidents also part of the fire department's work area?

▲ This in itself is not the work of a rescue team. The reason we responded was to prepare for the possibility of people getting hurt or a fire breaking out. Since I had overstepped my authority at work, I returned to the fire station and heard something from my superiors. But it wasn't serious. This is because the operation was completed successfully. For that, I received a commendation from the chief of Seongdong Police Station. It is very rare for a firefighter to receive a commendation from the police chief.

-- There are quite a few citizens who think that firefighters receive too little compensation for the dangerous work they do.

▲ In the Hongje-dong fire incident in 2001, six firefighters, including my hometown friend Jang Seok-chan (then a rescue worker at the Western Fire Department), died in the line of duty. The OOO party leader and top committee members came to the funeral. There was an uproar at that time. Firefighters protested harshly, saying, “Politicians only say they are for firefighters, but what have they been doing?” When the commotion calmed down, I sat down with them and told them that the treatment of firefighters should be improved, including an increase in firefighting allowances.

-- Did you make an impression at the time?

▲ At the time, public opinion was growing, so the fire suppression allowance rose from 40,000 won to 80,000 won. However, it has not been raised even once in the 25 years since. Considering rising prices, etc., this is ridiculous. I think it should be raised to at least 250,000 won. Even so, the amount is less than 10,000 won per day. I think it is right to provide some compensation to people who do dangerous work that could lead to their death.

-- You said that people in uniform are treated poorly in Korea.

▲ There is something I felt deeply while working as a soldier for 5 years and as a firefighter for 32 years. Even though people in uniform, such as firefighters, police officers, and soldiers, sacrifice their lives and work with dedication, they do not receive proper treatment. I'm not saying that all people in high positions are like that, but they spend the government's money on alcohol and meat and sometimes travel abroad with their families. Even if you commit illegal acts for personal gain, you may not be punished. At the same time, there are many cases of careless treatment of firefighters, police, and soldiers who risk their lives. I feel like there is no respect or treatment. Because of this, people wearing uniforms are bound to become frustrated.

-- Is there anything you would like to suggest to the government?

▲ As already mentioned, it is meaningless to praise a deceased firefighter as a hero. Firefighters must be treated and treated with respect while they are alive. To this end, I would like to create a task force that deals with all firefighter issues. I hope that not only government officials, but also current firefighters, external academics, and experts will participate and seriously discuss problems and solutions in various fields such as firefighting-related welfare, administration, and policy.

(Interview 2nd article question-answer end)

<Summary of the first interview article>

[Life] “My friend, a firefighter, died with both fists clenched... Wearing a waterproof suit because he didn’t have a fire protection suit” (November 3)

In 2001, six firefighters died in a fire in Hongje-dong. At the time, firefighters worked to extinguish the fire wearing waterproof suits, not fire retardant suits. I had to wear special gloves, special boots, special gloves, and a special helmet, but I didn't. The shoes were rubber boots, so they were easily pierced by nails. The helmet was of a motorcycle size, and the gloves were white work gloves made of cotton. Most firefighters across the country were like this.

Although the issue of firefighters' uniforms has now been resolved to some extent, the overall risk posed by budget constraints still persists. After a firefighter dies, no matter how big a medal or compensation is given, the person who died will not come back to life.

A system must be put in place to ensure that firefighters are safe. To achieve this, it is necessary to secure sufficient firefighting personnel, provide professional training, and properly replace equipment. In order to secure the budget, the central government's budget ratio must be increased from the current 10% to 90%. If the firefighting position was converted to a national position in 2020, appropriate measures should be taken, but six years have passed and no such action has been taken.