The late Noh Woong-sub, who drowned after jumping into a river to save a man in Inje County, Gangwon Province, has been officially recognized as a "righteous person" by the South Korean government. Authorities will provide his family with compensation and funeral support in honor of his willingness to risk his own life to save another.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said on the 2nd that it had recognized Noh as a righteous person at the fourth meeting of its Committee on Righteous Persons for 2026.
Noh was fishing with acquaintances on the Bukcheon stream in Inje County, Gangwon Province, at around 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 1 when he spotted a man struggling in the water. Noh, who was 63 at the time, entered the water himself to rescue the man but lost consciousness during the attempt and died.
Under South Korean law, a righteous person is someone who, regardless of their occupational duty, risks their own life or physical safety to rescue another person in danger and dies or is injured in the process. Those who die during a rescue are designated righteous persons who died, while those who are injured are designated righteous persons who were injured.
The government said it will provide compensation, funeral support and medical benefits to Noh's family under the relevant laws, in recognition of his sacrifice and to honor the bereaved.
