As firefighters continue their relentless battle against a raging wildfire in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, frustrations are mounting over their working conditions.
Reports reveal that firefighters are not provided with proper meals despite their physically demanding work, sparking public outrage.
On Tuesday, a firefighter shared a photo on social media, captioned, “Dinner for firefighters after extinguishing fires from 2 PM to 8 PM (KST).”
The photo shows a firefighter still in full protective gear receiving a meal after completing their duties. What caught attention was the noticeably inadequate meal: a bowl of seaweed soup with rice accompanied only by side dishes of soybeans and kimchi.
The firefighter expressed frustration, stating, “It may not be a feast, but at least a decent meal should be provided.” They added, “I’m hesitant to say where it came from, but this was sent from the wildfire site.”
After the photo went viral, internet users expressed shock and outrage, with comments like, “How can this be worse than prison food?”, “It breaks my heart. It brings tears to my eyes,” “Is there a place to send food?”, and “We need to pay more attention to improving the treatment of firefighters. Where did all the donations go?”
In response, the firefighter expressed gratitude, saying, “I truly appreciate everyone’s concern. I just hope that firefighters and all those who work so hard for the country and the people will improve their working conditions.”
According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s Daily National Safety Management Report, as of 5 AM (KST) Thursday, the wildfire’s affected area in North Gyeongsang Province has expanded to 26,704 hectares.
This marks an increase of 11,546 hectares from the 15,158 hectares reported at 6 PM (KST) on Tuesday, when the wildfire began in Uiseong. The affected area is now nearly 40 times the size of Yeouido in Seoul, which spans 290 hectares.
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