Su Gianto, an Indonesian national who carried the elderly during the forest fire… Based on his actual speech
On the 22nd of last month, a forest fire that started in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, spread to the coastal village of Yeongdeok. As the blazing flames engulfed the seaside village, a foreigner threw himself into the rescue.
This is Su Gianto (31), who has been working as a crew member in the village for the past eight years. He directly rescued elderly residents who had difficulty moving, along with the village head and the fishing association head.
As the fire spread late into the evening, making evacuation difficult, Su Gianto carried grandmothers on his back and managed to rescue as many as seven people, transporting them to a breakwater located 300 meters away.
Having lived in the area ever since entering the country, he speaks in a friendly local dialect to the extent that he refers to the grandmothers as "halmae" (a local term for grandmother).
In an interview with KBS, he explained the situation in his unique Gyeongsang dialect, saying, "I knocked on the door, but the grandmothers didn't come out. I kept knocking. The grandmothers came out, and I carried them, and those grandmothers are about 80, 90 years old, so they can’t move quickly."
His sincerity did not end there. Yoo Myung-shin, the head of the fishing association in Gyeongjeong 3-ri, Yeongdeok-gun, shared this: "After rescuing everyone, I asked him why he did that. He said, 'There are also elderly people in my home.' He mentioned that he has grandparents and parents as well."
YouTube 'KBS News'
The Ministry of Justice is reviewing a long-term residency qualification for Su Gianto
In light of Su Gianto's courageous actions, the Ministry of Justice also took action. On the 1st, the Ministry announced, "Considering his contribution in rescuing numerous lives, we have instructed to review granting long-term residency (F-2) qualification to Su Gianto."
The F-2 visa is a long-term residency qualification granted to foreigners who are recognized for significant public interest contributions. Under current regulations, acquiring this qualification is stringent, requiring criteria such as being married to a Korean citizen or foreign investors holding a D-8 visa and residing for more than three years while investing over $500,000. However, exceptions can be made for special contributions like this instance. According to the Ministry of Justice, such cases have been rare in recent years and this is the first since 2020.
If the F-2 visa is issued, Su Gianto will be able to stay in the Republic of Korea for more than 90 days, within the maximum stay period set by the Ministry of Justice. The review typically takes 1 to 2 weeks.
Image source: kbs2
