Ahead of Christmas, President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday invited to the presidential office the bereaved families of “heroes in uniform” who died while working for the country. 

The top office said the occasion marked the first Christmas event to be held in the presidential office, adding that some 30 people were in attendance, including the spouses and young children of soldiers, police officers and firefighters who died in the line of duty. 

Among the participants were the family members of firefighter Heo Seung-min, who died a day before Children’s Day in 2016 while trying to prevent strong wind-induced casualties in Taebaek, Gangwon Province and the family of police lieutenant Yoo Jae-kook who died in February 2020 during searching for a person who had jumped into the Han River. 

Yoon said it’s truly meaningful to hold the first Christmas event in the presidential office with the families of heroes and expressed hope that all participants will have a new year that is full of dreams and hope.