○ Foreign hikers rescued on Bukhansan send letters and gifts after returning home
○ Dramatic rescue of a hypothermia victim on Gukmangbong also draws attention
Stories of Gyeonggi Province fire and rescue personnel saving lives in critical situations have drawn public attention, including an overseas tourist who later sent a letter of gratitude. The individuals at the center of the story are members of the mountain rescue team from Goyang Fire Station.

The Gyeonggi Northern Fire and Disaster Headquarters said on January 9 that four Singaporean tourists who got stranded while descending Bukhansan (Mount Bukhan) at night without lighting equipment last November sent a thank-you letter to Goyang Fire Station late last month.

The hikers, who lacked sufficient hiking experience as well as proper clothing and gear, were discovered around 7 PM near the Yaksuam Rest Area on Bukhansan by the Goyang Fire Station mountain rescue team and were able to return home safely.

After returning to Singapore, they expressed their deep appreciation for the Korean rescue team in handwritten notes. In their individually written messages, they thanked the rescuers for helping them in a dangerous moment. They said they would never forget the kindness they received in Korea and wrote, “You are our HERO!” One note also included a halting yet carefully written Korean message that said “Thank you!”

Another rescue story involving Gyeonggi Province firefighters has also circulated online.

A man in his 50s who became stranded during a winter hike on the 1,168-meter-tall Gukmangbong (Gukmang Peak) in Pocheon City was rescued in a dramatic operation on December 30 last year. After receiving an emergency call from the man, whose life was in danger due to hypothermia, the Northern 119 Integrated Situation Room of the Gyeonggi Northern Fire and Disaster Headquarters decided to deploy a helicopter.

A rescue crew member descended a steep, windy slope by rope to carry out the rescue, after which firefighters from Pocheon Fire Station safely transported the patient to a medical facility.

Following three days of treatment at Pocheon Medical Center, the man shared a message of gratitude on the Gyeonggi Northern Fire and Disaster Headquarters website. “That day became the day I died but was born again. I want to tell the Gyeonggi Northern Fire and Disaster Headquarters and the 119 responders who saved my life that they are doing the most meaningful and precious work in the world,” he wrote.

Kang Dae-hoon, Chief of the Northern Fire and Disaster Headquarters, said, “I am proud of our firefighters who responded swiftly and with dedication even in critical situations,” adding, “We will continue to do our utmost to protect the lives and safety of our residents.”