On the 1st, the Ministry of Justice announced that it would review granting long-term residency (F-2) status to 31-year-old Sukiyanto, an Indonesian national who helped evacuate residents during the wildfire in Uiseong. Sukiyanto rescued dozens of villagers when the wildfire, which started on the 25th in Uiseong County, Gyeongbuk, spread to coastal villages in Yeongdeok County.
The Ministry of Justice indicated that it directed the review for the long-term residency (F-2) status in consideration of the foreign national's contribution to saving multiple lives. The long-term residency status can be granted by the Minister of Justice to those recognized for making significant contributions to South Korea or enhancing public interest.
This follows reports that Sukiyanto, an Indonesian sailor residing in Yeongdeok County, carried residents to safety.
Sukiyanto and the head of the village fishing association, Yu Myeong-shin, notified residents of the fire by running door to door to evacuate those who were unwell around 11 p.m. Sukiyanto shouted, "Grandma, there's a fire in the mountains, we need to evacuate quickly," waking up residents who had fallen asleep.
The two ran with residents on their backs to the breakwater approximately 300 meters away. Due to the village's layout, where houses are clustered on a coastal slope, it was not easy for the elderly to evacuate quickly.
A resident in their 90s noted, "If Sukiyanto hadn't been there, we all would have died. I fell asleep while watching television, and when I heard shouting outside about the fire, I got up and saw Sukiyanto there, and I was able to escape from my house thanks to being carried on his back."