A screenshot from a video released by South Korean media outlet Chosun Daily shows Officer Lee Jae-seok rescuing a Chinese national

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Friday mourned the death of a Coast Guard officer who died on Thursday after rescuing a Chinese elderly during high tide, according to a report by the Yonhap News Agency. 

Chinese Embassy in South Korea on Friday expressed condolences over the death of the officer who died in the line of duty after rescuing a Chinese national in his 70s and extended sincere sympathy to his family, according to an embassy statement. 

On Thursday, a Chinese national in South Korea was stranded along the coast of Incheon. The Incheon Coast Guard promptly dispatched officers to carry out the rescue. In the end, the Chinese national was successfully saved, but officer Lee Jae-suk of the Incheon Coast Guard tragically lost his life during the operation, according to the statement. 

Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Dai Bing has sent a letter to Kim Yong-jin, Commissioner General of Korea Coast Guard, to convey his sorrow and condolences, said the embassy, noting that Lee Jae-suk sacrificed himself for others, embodying noble professional integrity and humanitarian spirit with his life.

The embassy also noted that for a long time, Chinese and South Korean coast guards have maintained close cooperation, repeatedly assisting each other's vessels and citizens in distress at sea. China is willing to continue working with South Korea to strengthen communication and coordination, and jointly safeguard maritime safety, said the embassy. 

A screenshot from the WeChat account of the Chinese Embassy in South Korea

The page of the statement released on the embassy's WeChat account also turned black and white to mourn the officer.

Ambassador Dai said in a post on X on Thursday that "my colleagues at the Chinese embassy and I express our deep condolences for the fallen officer and extend our sympathies to his family. We also express our appreciation to the South Korea Coast Guard for their contributions to safeguarding maritime safety."

The news has drawn wide attention on China's social media platform Sina Weibo. As of 7 pm on Friday, the hashtag "34-year-old South Korean officer sacrifices his life rescuing a Chinese senior" had garnered more than 60 million views. Thousands of Chinese netizens mourned the officer's death, calling him "a hero" who died in the line of duty, and expressed deep respect for his selfless act of saving another's life.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on Friday sent his chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik to deliver a condolence message to the funeral home of the officer Lee Jae-suk. 

"The deceased, with only a sense of duty to save lives, ran without hesitation into the middle of a mudflat that was swelling in pitch darkness," the South Korean president wrote. "I express deep sadness and condolences over the death of assistant inspector Lee Jae-suk, who dedicated himself until the last moment to save a life."

"We will never forget his noble spirit and sacrifice," Lee Jae-myung said.

Officer Lee Jae-suk, 34, of the Yeongheung Police Station, who rescued Mr A, a 70-year-old Chinese national trapped by rapidly rising tides about four hours before high tide, was discovered at approximately 9:41 am on Thursday during a search near the southwest coast of Kkot Island. Lee Jae-suk was found in cardiac arrest and transferred to Jinduh Port for cardiopulmonary resuscitation before being handed over to firefighting authorities and transported to a hospital, where he later passed away, according to the Chosun Daily.

Lee Jae-suk received a report at around 2:07 am during a nighttime drone patrol about a person stranded in the tidal flats near Kkot Island. He immediately moved to the site to verify the situation. He found Mr A trapped by rapidly rising tides about four hours before high tide. By around 3 am, as seawater reached waist level, Lee Jae-suk gave Mr A his own life jacket, bandaged his injured foot with patrol gloves, and attempted to swim toward shore with him. During the effort, however, Lee Jae-suk went missing, per Chosun Daily.

After losing contact with Lee via radio, the Yeongheung Police Station reported to the Incheon Korea Coast Guard (KCG) situation room. The KCG immediately began search operations. Mr A was rescued via a KCG helicopter at around 4:20 am, said the report. A KCG official said "we deeply mourn the sacrifice of a colleague who gave his life to save another's. We will thoroughly investigate to ensure his noble sacrifice is not in vain."

Global Times