A review will be held on whether to recognize a firefighter who died while doing underwater cleanup during a workplace sports event as having died in the line of duty in a hazardous job.
On the 8th, according to the National Public Officials Labor Union Fire Headquarters Gangwon Fire Branch, the Ministry of Personnel Management Public Officials Occupational Accident Compensation Review Committee will reexamine on the 19th whether to recognize as hazardous-duty line-of-duty death the case of Fire Lieutenant Lee Yoon-bong (48 at the time), who belonged to the 119 Rescue Team of the Samcheok Fire Station and died in an accident.
On May 15, 2023, at Jangho Port in Samcheok, Lee died in the line of duty after falling into the sea while conducting an underwater natural cleanup with rescue team members.
Afterward, in Sept. last year, the Ministry of Personnel Management Public Officials Occupational Accident Compensation Review Committee determined Lee's activity was a "simple sports event," not for purposes such as lifesaving or practical training, and processed Lee's death in the line of duty in Aug. last year.
The bereaved family and the union argue that Lee did not simply get into an accident while picking up marine trash on a day off. They say it was called "underwater cleanup," but in fact Lee died during training intended to improve job performance.
Hazardous-duty line-of-duty death is recognized when a person suffers a disaster while performing duties despite a high risk to life and body, and that disaster is the direct cause of death.
If recognized as hazardous-duty line-of-duty death, the bereaved can receive more survivor pensions and survivor compensation than for general line-of-duty death, and can also receive veterans' pensions by registering as a national merit recipient, helping the family's economic independence.