An investigation has found that a 29-year-old female firefighter in South Korea was forced to attend 24 work-related and private drinking sessions over 15 months before she died by suicide last October. The probe has since led to the suspension of 17 serving fire officials, while two retired officers are also under investigation.
According to South Korean media, Jeong, a firefighter at Gwangsan Fire Station in Gwangju, jumped to her death on October 3, 2025. The Gwangju Fire Safety Headquarters later submitted a report suggesting that Jeong had sought counselling in June over personal relationship issues, appearing to shift blame onto her fiancé.
Requests by Jeong's fiancé and family for an investigation by the Gwangju Fire Safety Headquarters were ignored until May 2026, when the bereaved family appealed directly to the National Fire Agency. After the case drew wider public attention, the Office for Government Policy Coordination launched a full investigation on June 11 under President Lee Jae Myung's directive.
The investigation by the Office for Government Policy Coordination revealed that Jeong was pressured to attend 24 work-related and private drinking gatherings between August 2024 and her death. The pressure intensified after a new station chief took office in August 2024.
According to investigators, Jeong was subjected to prolonged workplace bullying. She was ordered to consume high-proof mixed alcoholic drinks in a single gulp despite being a non-drinker. She was also instructed to sit in specific positions next to male superiors, including being told to "sit between the station chief and the division chief" or "sit next to the division chief." In addition, she was required to run personal errands and prepare for private events for her supervisors.
The investigation also found that Gwangsan Fire Station had carried out only a "pro forma" internal review following Jeong's death, failing to identify the workplace bullying.
Of the 17 suspended officials, six are from the Gwangju Fire Headquarters, nine are from Gwangsan Fire Station and two are from the National Fire Agency headquarters. They have been immediately relieved of duty, barred from entering their workplaces and suspended from service. The two retired officers also remain under investigation.
The Gwangju Fire Headquarters said it will convene a disciplinary committee as soon as it receives the final report from the Office for Government Policy Coordination. Depending on the severity of each official's conduct, penalties could range up to dismissal.
