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Death of Coast Guard officer sparks scrutiny of policy breach

Published: 12 Sep. 2025, 14:59

A memorial altar is set up at a funeral home in Dong District, Incheon,on Sept. 11 for late Coast Guard Sergeant Lee Jae-seok, who died after giving his life vest to a stranded older man in a tidal flat. [YONHAP]

The death of a Coast Guard officer while trying to rescue a man stranded in a tidal flat has sparked scrutiny over the breach of protocol that saw him deployed alone despite rules requiring a two-person team.

Patrol cars must carry two or more personnel, exceptional cases notwithstanding, according to Coast Guard regulations. The same rule applies to on-site emergency responses.

However, at around 2:07 a.m. Thursday, Sergeant Lee Jae-seok, 34, from the Yeongheung patrol post under the Incheon Coast Guard, responded alone to a report that a Chinese man in his 70s had become stranded in a tidal flat.

Although six officers were on duty at the time, four were on break. According to regulations, night shift workers are allowed to rest for up to three hours. Still, a Coast Guard official acknowledged that “even during rest periods, two officers should be dispatched for field operations” and added, “We don’t know why he went alone.”

While attempting the rescue around 3 a.m., Lee gave the stranded man his own life vest and gloves as water levels rose, then attempted to lead him back to land. Lee went missing during the process.

Backup officers were dispatched at 3:09 a.m. after a call for support, but it was already too late.

The man was rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter at around 4:20 a.m. with leg injuries but was not in critical condition. Lee, however, was found unconscious at sea near Yeongheung-myeon, Ongjin County, at 9:41 a.m. — about six hours after he went missing — and was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

Lee’s family is calling for a thorough investigation. “I can’t understand why my cousin was sent out alone,” a relative said. “Had additional personnel been dispatched in time, he might still be alive. This shouldn’t end with personal sacrifice. The truth must come out to ensure there isn’t another Lee Jae-seok.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JEONG JAE-HONG [[email protected]]