(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Seol Seung-eun = President Lee Jae-myung on the 16th prayed for the recovery of firefighters who were seriously injured while extinguishing a fire at a Bucheon factory and soldiers who were injured by a North Korean landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), and promised to honor the sacrifices of firefighters, military and police.
President Lee stood on the podium to give a commemorative speech at the opening ceremony of the 107th National Sports Festival held at the Jeju World Cup Stadium on this day and said, "Before I give formal greetings, there is something I would like to communicate with Jeju residents and the people of the Republic of Korea who are watching this scene."
President Lee said, "There are people around us who constantly sacrifice themselves and devote themselves to protecting the safety of all of us and the peace of our country," and added, "Thanks to the sacrifice and dedication of soldiers, police, firefighters, and citizens in uniform, we are able to have these happy moments even at this moment."
He added, "Unfortunately, at this moment, there is a firefighter who is hospitalized with cardiac arrest while extinguishing the fire, and many firefighters are also injured."
President Lee pointed out, "Someone's sacrifice is inevitable in order for our national community to remain peaceful and safe, but it is also an unfortunate reality that the respect or compensation for them is not sufficient."
He continued, “Compared to the dedication they put in by risking their lives for the life and safety of our people, wouldn’t it be a waste if we gave them a thousand dollars?”
President Lee suggested, "How about giving a round of applause of encouragement so that the firefighters who are currently on the brink of death and the injured firefighters can recover quickly, as well as the soldiers who were recently injured while protecting the country."
On this day, a total of six firefighters, including two seriously injured, were taken to the hospital while extinguishing a fire that broke out at a factory in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province. One of the seriously injured was taken to the hospital in cardiac arrest.
Afterwards, President Lee continued his congratulatory speech at the tournament and encouraged the athletes.
First, President Lee mentioned the athletes from overseas Korean organizations who participated in the competition and said, "Considering the financial capacity of the Republic of Korea, which has grown so much that its national power is the envy of people all over the world, we will actively support it together with the Korea Sports Council so that you do not face a major burden when you visit your home country for sports competitions in the future."
He continued, "The Republic of Korea is a great country, and overseas citizens and compatriots who call the Republic of Korea their home country are proud of the great Republic of Korea. I believe that our people will also take special interest and join us so that they can participate in Korean events without discrimination like our Koreans living in Korea."
President Lee also mentioned the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, which ended recently, and said, "Our players showed a fighting spirit that did not give up until the last moment," and added, "The sight of the players doing their best to overcome their limits and taking on challenges together with their teammates gave me great emotion and courage."
He added, “Now, that passionate emotion continues here in Jeju.” He added, “The numerous challenges that began at the National Sports Festival have become a driving force for the growth of Korean sports and a strong foundation for our athletes to advance to a bigger stage.”
President Lee promised, “The government will provide strong support so that everyone can enjoy sports in their daily lives, athletes can develop their dreams in a better environment, and athletes can perform with pride.”
He then emphasized, "We will add new vitality to the region through sports and provide the necessary support so that Korean sports can move forward more powerfully toward the world."
Furthermore, he said to the athletes, "Go beyond wins and losses, please respect and encourage each other, unleash your skills to the fullest, and create a festival of emotion and harmony," and added, "I hope all the participating athletes do well."
First Lady Kim Hye-kyung also attended the event along with President Lee.
The National Sports Festival is the largest comprehensive sports competition in Korea that has been held since 1920. In this competition, which will be held in Jeju for the first time in 12 years since 2014, over 30,000 athletes, including athletes from 17 provinces and cities and overseas Korean sports organizations, will participate and compete in 50 sports.
