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Korea Herald
06-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
3 Indonesian wildfire heroes granted long-term residency visas
The government said Sunday that three Indonesian sailors who helped other residents evacuate from the recent wildfires in the southeastern region were granted F-2-16 long-term residency visas, issued to individuals who made a special contribution to the country. "It has been decided to grant long-term residency based on special contributions to three people of Indonesian nationality who helped senior citizens to safety during the recent wildfires... We offer sincere gratitude to those who saved the lives of neighbors with no regard to their own," said Lee Han-kyung, deputy chief of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Officials said the Ministry of Justice notified them of the decision on Saturday. It was reported last week that the Justice Ministry was reviewing granting an F-2 visa to 31-year-old sailor Sugianto, a resident of Yeongdeok-gun, North Gyeongsang Province who carried some 60 of his neighbors on his back to safety when the fire spread to his village at around 10 p.m. March 25. The village chief who helped evacuate the residents with Sugianto told local media outlets that he was a "kind young man," who would frequently help older residents carry heavy bags and fix household appliances. Two other Indonesian sailors, one from Yeongdeok-gun and the other from Uljin-gun of the same province, were also granted the same long-term residence visa. The wildfires that ravaged across the southeastern region left 31 dead and 51 injured, according to the officials, Sunday. The largest wildfires in the country's history are thought to have consumed over 45,000 hectares in the northern North Gyeongsang Province alone, forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents in the area.
Korea Herald
02-04-2025
- Korea Herald
Justice Ministry considers granting F-2 visa to Indonesian wildfire hero
The Ministry of Justice announced that it is reviewing granting an F-2 visa for the Indonesian national who saved some 60 aged neighbors from wildfires in southeastern South Korea last week. The F-2 visa, which gives the visa holder long-term residency here, can be granted by the justice minister to individuals who have made special contributions to South Korean society or have been recognized for their service to the public interest. The Justice Ministry's decision comes after local media reports about a 31-year-old Indonesian sailor known by the mononym Sugianto, who resided in the village of Gyeongjeong 3-ri in Yeongdeok, North Gyeongsang Province. Sugianto is reported to have carried other residents on his back to evacuate them from the fast-moving blazes. Sugianto and a village chief, surnamed Yoo, went door-to-door to protect aged residents who struggled to evacuate quickly on March 25, when the wildfires that started in nearby Uiseong spread rapidly eastward, aided by strong winds and dry conditions. Despite the village's steep terrain, Sugianto and Yoo carried their neighbors and raced toward the 300-meter seawall, fleeing as flames engulfed their homes. A woman in her 90s was quoted by local media outlet News1 as saying that she would have died if Sugianto had not come to assist her. 'I fell asleep while watching TV, but I woke up to yelling in a loud voice outside about a wildfire,' the resident said. "When I looked out the door, Sugianto was there and I was able to escape the house." Other villagers said that if it were not for Sugiyanto and Yoo, they too might have been faced with disaster, adding that they hope to continue working and living with such an outstanding, reliable young man.
