The Funeral Ceremony for the Late Lee Young-do, Airborne Evolution Squad Member... Interred at National Daejeon Memorial Cemetery

by Jeong Ilwoong

Published 06 Jan.2025 13:10(KST)

The funeral ceremony for the late Lee Young-do (32), a member of the Aerial Firefighting Team who died in the line of duty, was held on the 6th at the Taebaek Highland Gymnasium as a Forest Service Chief's funeral (葬).

The Korea Forest Service held a funeral ceremony for the late Lee Young-do (32), a member of the aerial firefighting team, on the 6th at the Taebaek Plateau Gymnasium. The deceased recently lost his life after falling from a helicopter during a mountain rescue operation in Seoraksan. Photo by Korea Forest Service

According to the Forest Service, the deceased lost his life in an accident on the 3rd while conducting mountain rescue operations near the Suryumdong Valley in Seoraksan, Buk-myeon, Inje-gun, Gangwon Province, when he fell from a helicopter.

The funeral was arranged to honor his sacrifice. About 500 people, including family members, relatives, friends, acquaintances, and Forest Service officials led by Director Im Sang-seop, attended to mourn his final journey.

Acting President Choi Sang-mok expressed condolences through a condolence message, saying, “We mourn the death of the deceased together with the people. The nation will never forget his noble sacrifice and dedication, as he rushed to the scene without hesitation to protect the lives of the people. We pray for his peaceful rest.”

At the funeral, the chairman of the funeral committee was the Director of the Forest Service. Director Im said, “We remember the deceased’s dedication to protecting the lives and safety of the people and his wholehearted efforts to fight forest disasters. He was an excellent forest official who took responsibility for the safety of the people with a strong sense of duty and outstanding capabilities,” expressing sorrow over the accident.

After the funeral ceremony that morning, the deceased was transferred to the National Daejeon National Cemetery for burial.

The funeral ceremony for the late Lee Young-do (32), a member of the Airborne Firefighting Team, is being held on the 6th at the Taebaek Highland Gymnasium as a Forest Service funeral. Photo by Forest Service

Meanwhile, in 2022, while working as a Special Firefighting Team member for forest fire disasters at the Taebaek National Forest Management Office of the Eastern Regional Forest Service, he received the Forest Service Chief’s Award for his contributions to extinguishing large forest fires in Uljin, Samcheok, Gangneung, and Donghae.

He later moved to the Gangneung Forest Aviation Management Office of the Forest Aviation Headquarters and served as an aerial firefighting team member. During this time, he was recognized for his dedicated firefighting efforts at nine forest fire sites, including the large forest fire in Gangneung last year, and received a commendation from the Director of the Forest Aviation Headquarters.