S-Oil remembers everyday heroes

S-Oil CEO Anwar Al-Hejazi (front center) poses for a photo alongside award recipients and firefighting officials, as part of the 2023 Hero Firefighters Award Ceremony, held at 63 Square near the Han River in Seoul, on Dec. 11. (S-Oil)

South Korean oil refiner S-Oil is continuing to recognize those who performed acts of heroism and made the world a better place, over the past years.

Under the values of sharing, S-Oil has delivered financial contributions and hosted an annual award ceremony for brave neighbors. These heroes include firefighters, Coast Guard officers, and citizens who rescued others in dire situations, putting the needs of others above their own.

Since 2006, the firm has been awarding firemen to recognize them as “true” heroes of our society.

The annual award ceremony has invited selected firemen to a ceremony to thank them for their services and give them prizes.

In the latest ceremony held in December 2023 together with the Korea National Council of Social Welfare, S-Oil delivered a total of 90 million won prizes to eight firefighters, remembering their heroic efforts.

Before the event, an awards committee consisting of firefighting experts also selected this year’s “best” heroic firefighter.

In 2023, Lt. Kwon Tae-jin from the Seoul Special Rescue Team was honored for saving more than 150 lives in a year, receiving 20 million won. Six other lieutenants and one sergeant were each presented with prize money worth 10 million won.

Whenever firefighters die in the line of duty, S-Oil shares the sorrow with the bereaved families. In December of last year, the oil refiner delivered 30 million won in condolence to the family of firefighter Lim Seong-cheol from Jeju Dongbu fire station, who lost his life while extinguishing the flames at the house of an elderly couple.

S-Oil CEO Anwar al-Hejazi (center right, back row) and award recipients pose for a photo after the 2023 Citizen Heroes Award Ceremony held at the S-Oil headquarters in Seoul on Nov. 6. (S-Oil)

S-Oil’s other campaign contributes to the heroic Coast Guard officers safeguarding the country’s maritime territory and the lives of people by rescuing ships, tackling marine pollution, and taking action against illegal fishing vessels. Since 2013, the award ceremony for Coast Guard officers has also been hosted annually.

The oil refiner has also been providing financial aid to support the families of local firemen and Coast Guard officers who were severely injured or died while working, including medical treatment for injured officers and tuition scholarships for children of fallen officers. Last year, S-Oil donated a total of 470 million won to firefighting officers and 270 million won to Coast Guard officers in total.

S-Oil also recognizes the citizen heroes or the brave individuals who accomplished acts of heroism to save other lives in emergent situations. Since 2008, a total of 308 citizens have received citizen honor awards and prizes worth 2 billion won from the oil refiner for their sacrifices.

By Mun So-jeong(munsojeong@heraldcorp.com)