The POSCO TJ Park Foundation has named four citizens as “POSCO Heroes” for saving lives during the worst wildfire disaster in the history of North Gyeongsang Province. On April 23, at the North Gyeongsang Fire Headquarters, awards and prize money were presented in a ceremony attended by Chief Park Sung-Yeol. Amid the rapidly spreading fires that threatened the lives and safety of local residents, these four individuals stood out for their courageous and selfless actions in rescuing their neighbors.

​

Sugianto (31), an Indonesian national, alerted sleeping neighbors and helped them evacuate when the wildfire approached a village near Yeongdeok. He carried elderly residents with limited mobility on his back to safety at a seawall 300 meters away. Sugianto came to Korea eight years ago on a work visa and is currently employed as a seaman. He has a six-year-old son and a wife back in Indonesia.

​

In the same Yeongdeok area, Jeon Dae-heon (52) played a pivotal role in the evacuation by using his boat to transport 34 residents who had taken refuge at the seawall to a safer location. He also worked with the Uljin Coast Guard to visit nearby ports and relocate a total of 104 stranded residents to evacuation shelters. Jeon has long been active in maritime rescue and volunteer work, serving as the head of the Yeongdeok Rescue Team.

​

Kim Ok-hwa (56) helped warn nearby residents as the fire spread, evacuating them safely in her car. Kim Hyung-jong (48) also played a key role in alerting others and mobilizing his personal vehicle and a bus to assist in evacuations. He additionally carried farming equipment into the blazing mountains to support fire suppression efforts.

​

Since 2019, the POSCO TJ Park Foundation has recognized individuals who perform courageous and righteous acts for others and for society in times of personal crisis or national disaster. To date, a total of 102 individuals have been honored as POSCO Heroes.