Three Friends Who Fell into a Reservoir and Saved a Middle School Student Who Died… Became Daegu’s First ‘Righteous Citizen’

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Three Friends Saved, Middle School Student Sacrificed; First 'Righteous Citizen' Recognized in Daegu

A middle school student who lost his life while trying to save friends from drowning in a reservoir during a cold winter has been officially recognized as Daegu City's first 'Righteous Citizen.'

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On the 8th, Daegu City Council announced that Chairman Ha Joong-hwan visited the home of the bereaved family of the late Park Geon-ha, a first-grade middle school student from Dasa-eup, Daegu, to present the 'Righteous Citizen Certificate' and a special consolation payment.

In January, while playing in a reservoir in Seojae-ri, Dalseong-gun, Daegu, Park saved three friends who had fallen into the water using nearby fishing rods and branches. However, while trying to save the last friend, he too fell into the water and sank. Firefighters who responded to the call found Park in cardiac arrest and transported him to a nearby hospital, but he ultimately passed away.

Designated as a Honorable Citizen Following the Death of a Rescuer

Previously, in May, the Ministry of Health and Welfare officially recognized Park as a rescuer during the 2025 Second Rescuer Review Committee meeting.

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A rescuer refers to a person who dies or is injured while engaging in rescue activities to save the lives and bodies of others in danger, sacrificing their own safety in acts outside their official duties.

This recognition as a 'Righteous Citizen' is the first institutional acknowledgment of a citizen who saved a life since the revision of relevant ordinances in Daegu City, making Park the first Righteous Citizen in Daegu. Accordingly, the city decided to provide Park with a certificate and special consolation payment.

Chairman Ha Joong-hwan emphasized, "Park Geon-ha saved three lives with a single decision, and that courage is a true value that our society should remember for a long time." He further stated, "It is the appropriate responsibility of the community to honor and remember his noble choice in the name of the community."

Image source: Around 5:19 PM on January 13, rescue agencies were conducting operations after middle school students fell into a reservoir in Seojae-ri, Dalseong-gun, Daegu. / News1, On January 16, white chrysanthemums were placed at a reservoir in Seojae-ri, Dasa-eup, Dalseong-gun, Daegu. / News1

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