Chungju taxi driver saves passenger from taking own life

A person stands on the railing of a bridge, looking down at the Namhan River on March 26, in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province. (Sunjae Taxi)

The story of a local taxi driver is going viral on the internet for saving a passenger from attempting to take his own life.

Lee Ho-yeon, a 29-year-old taxi driver, successfully dissuaded a man standing on the railing of Tangeum Bridge from jumping after leaving his taxi on the night of March 26 in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province.

Lee felt some foreboding that the man might attempt suicide considering his condition and requested destination. Dashboard footage provided by Seonjae Taxi, Lee’s company, shows the drunk man saying, “Can I go to a nearby river with bridges?”

The passenger also said, “I might be a convict… A life once messed up continues to be so…” to the driver, who repeatedly questioned the passenger why he was heading to the bridge in such a mood.

Lee tried to comfort the passenger, saying, “Please cheer up, there’s nothing especially difficult in (continuing) life. Everyone manages.”

Although the passenger indicated that he would not attempt to commit suicide, after he got off, Lee remained doubtful and drove back to the bridge and spotted the man, who appeared at risk of jumping into the Namhan River.

There, Lee held the passenger, persuading him to leave the bridge. The police, dispatched after Lee’s report, talked to the passenger with the driver, which led to the man’s return home.

The police arranged for counseling for the man at an area mental health and welfare center, local media reported.

Meanwhile, the dashboard video was broadcast by a lawyer specialized in traffic cases, Han Moon-chul, on his YouTube account, where he garnered over 500,000 views in five days.

Comments have praised the taxi driver, dubbing him the “righteous man of Chungju.”

By Lim Jae-seong(forestjs@heraldcorp.com)