Soldiers who were on guard during the early morning hours when everyone was asleep at a coastal outpost discovered a burning fire and played a significant role in preventing a major blaze, setting an example for others. The heroes are Sergeant First Class Kim Gwan Woo and Sergeant Kim Jae Min from the Army’s 23rd Security Brigade at the Jeong Ra outpost.
On the 17th, at around 3:46 AM, Sergeant Kim Jae Min, performing video surveillance using Thermal Observation Devices (TOD) at the coastal outpost, detected flames and smoke rising from a nearby container building.
Upon recognizing the unusual situation, Sergeant Kim Jae Min immediately reported to his surveillance team leader, Sergeant First Class Kim Gwan Woo. Sergeant First Class Kim Gwan Woo also reported the problem to the battalion, relayed it to the adjacent outposts, and notified the Samcheok Fire Station. Fire trucks soon arrived at the scene and extinguished the fire.
According to the 23rd Security Brigade, after the fire was put out, the unit continued to monitor the situation using surveillance equipment and dispatched an officer patrol team to investigate the origin and cause of the fire and the extent of the damage, supporting overall measures.
The local fire station confirmed that an electrical fault caused the fire. The fire station stated, “Recently, the entire region of Gangwon Province has been dry with strong crosswinds, increasing the likelihood of fire spread. If it had not been detected early, it could have spread to civilian areas, causing significant damage. Early identification and initial measures were crucial in preventing major damage.”
Concerning this, the Samcheok Fire Station thanked the unit for first identifying the fire, sharing, and controlling the situation.
The commander of the 23rd Security Brigade plans to award Sergeant Kim Jae Min with a brigade commendation and a prize for his response to the fire.
Sergeant Kim Jae Min said, “This incident served as a reminder of the importance of video surveillance duties and the sense of duty as a soldier to protect the lives and property of our citizens. I will continue to ensure a perfect coastal guard operation posture in the future.”