Incheon: The death of a South Korean Coast Guard officer, Lee Jae-suk, during a rescue operation for a Chinese national has garnered significant attention on Chinese social media, with many users offering condolence messages and recognizing him as a hero.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the incident occurred in the early morning hours of Thursday when Lee, aged 34, was deployed to save a 70-something Chinese man stranded during high tide at a mudflat in Incheon, located just west of Seoul. Although the man was successfully rescued after Lee gave him his life vest, Lee was later found dead at sea.
Chinese media, including Haike News, extensively covered the tragic event. News of Lee's death quickly became a trending topic on China's prominent search engine Baidu and social media platform Weibo on Friday. Haike News shared drone footage showing Lee removing his vest to save the Chinese man, highlighting his selfless act.
Social media users and news articles were filled with messages of condolence and praise for Lee's bravery. Comments included sentiments such as "rest in peace, hero," "regardless of his nationality, he is a hero," and "there are many good people in South Korea." In recognition of his sacrifice, the Coast Guard has posthumously promoted Lee by one rank to assistant inspector.