S-Oil, a leading refinery in Korea, conferred the 2014 Hero Firefighters Award to eight Korean firefighters on Wednesday to recognize their contribution and to help improve their working and living conditions.

“Whenever I hear news of a fire, which breaks out more often in the cold winter, I feel deeply touched and have great gratitude for the firefighters and their amazing instinct to jump into the flames to rescue people and for devoting their energy into putting out fires,” said S-Oil CEO Nasser Al-Mahasher during the ceremony at Seocho Fire Station in Seoul.

The CEO presented plaques and a cash prize of 90 million won to the eight firefighters who S-Oil named the “Hero Firefighters.”

In particular, the refiner recognized Lt. Um Jin-yong of Onsan Fire Station in Ulsan as the Best Hero Firefighter on the recommendation of the Ministry of Public Safety and Security. Um was presented with a plaque and cash award of 20 million won.

Fire Sgt. Bang Gyeong-ho, who works at National 119 Rescue headquarters, and six other firefighters also received plaques and monetary awards of 10 million won each.

“The S-Oil Hero Firefighters Awards have continued on for nine years, and it was meant to show our respect and appreciation to firefighters who sacrifice themselves to protect the lives and property of their family, neighbors and the public at large,” said Al-Mahasher.

By Park Han-na (hnpark@heraldcorp.com)