As news spread to China that a Korean coast guard officer died while rescuing an elderly Chinese national who was stranded on tidal flats in Ongjin County, Incheon, memorials are also taking place in China.
On the 12th, on China's largest portal Baidu and on social media (SNS) platforms such as Weibo, the story of a Korean coast guard officer who died in the line of duty while saving an elderly Chinese national ranked high among real-time searches.
Chinese internet users are posting moving messages with hashtags such as "a Korean coast guard officer gave up a life jacket" and "a young coast guard officer died while saving a Chinese person." They expressed condolences with comments like "This is so touching," "There are many good people in Korea," and "A true hero who transcended nationality."
Local media outlets, including Haike (海客) News, also reported on the citizen whose life was saved by the sacrifice of a Korean coast guard officer. Alongside a video showing the Chinese national receiving and putting on the life jacket given by Senior Patrol Officer Lee Jae-seok, outlets reported that Lee suffered a sudden accident at the young age of 34.
The accident occurred at dawn on the 11th at tidal flats near Kkotseom in Yeongheung-myeon, Ongjin County, Incheon. Lee handed his own buoyancy vest to a Chinese man who had been stranded by the incoming tide and went missing while swimming back toward the sea together; he was found in cardiac arrest six hours later and ultimately died. The rescued Chinese national was reported to be unharmed.
The Korea Coast Guard honored Lee's sacrifice by promoting him one rank, from senior patrol officer to sergeant.