The unsung heroes behind the scenes, South Korea’s first responders, put themselves in harm’s way to protect the public. Every day, they risk their lives to rescue others, toiling away long hours with little rest. Yet, despite their hard work, they face serious challenges that remain hidden from the public eye. From the lack of administrative support to the abuse of emergency services, first responders are frequently overlooked or taken for granted.
As they fight fires and provide medical aid, emergency personnel often find themselves at the frontlines without proper legal protection. Laws meant to protect these personnel fail to offer sufficient safeguards from the physical and verbal attacks many face.
Jeon Dong-jin, responsible for fire suppression at Bullo Safety Center, said, “More often than not, the laws are in place, but they are not carried out. For example, we have a law that allows us to move illegally modified cars out of the way during an emergency. However, because there is little awareness in the public regarding this law, utilizing it can be very challenging.”
Jeon further explained this complication: “For instance, if we have to push an illegally modified car aside, there’s the risk of facing complaints from the car owner or potentially even physical harm. In my two years of service, I’ve never moved a car.” This legislative loophole puts first responders in jeopardy, with no proper remedy when confronted by aggression.
These purported patients call services for incidents that hardly qualify as a matter of life or death. Fire sergeant Shin Ji-hwan said, “We often get calls for things like toothaches, colds, or regular check-ups, and some people simply request transport for non-urgent matters. The problem is that these non-emergencies take up valuable resources and delay response times for actual emergencies, and this makes our jobs more difficult.”
Shin said, “The more emergency calls we get, the harder it is to provide the necessary treatments in the ‘golden hour,’ which is crucial for saving lives. This situation presents a challenge for paramedics and emergency responders.”
Alongside the overuse of these services, emergency service personnel face a rising wave of harassment. Shin said, “Recently, the number of assaults on paramedics during emergency calls has been increasing. Most of the assailants are intoxicated, and despite legal measures in place to prevent such violence, it continues. Even though there are laws that prescribe punishments for this kind of behavior, intoxicated individuals are often uncontrollable, making it difficult for paramedics on the field.”
Shin emphasizes the importance of reforms and education to address these ongoing issues. He said, “We should have better legal protection and more public awareness campaigns to ensure that paramedics are supported in the field.”
South Korean crisis response teams deserve respect and full support as they face challenges without the legal protections and support they are entitled to. When their safety and effectiveness are compromised, the entire system falters. As a society, we must respect their duties and safeguard these essential workers to reap the fruits of their service.
