Lee Hae-rin is a City Desk reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues, tourism and taekwondo. She is passionate about speaking up for the rights of minorities, including women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and animals as well as discovering the latest makgeolli trend in town. Feel free to reach her at lhr@koreatimes.co.kr.
Firefighters face mental health strain as counselors remain scarce
Fire authorities inspect the wreckage of a plane that crashed at Muan International Airport in Muan County, South Jeolla Province, Dec. 30, 2024. Korea Times photo by Park Simon
By Lee Hae-rin
Korea’s firefighters are facing growing mental health pressures as demand for trauma counseling outstrips the state’s ability to provide timely care, prompting national calls for reform and expanded support for first responders in the wake of recent tragedies.
Data from the National Fire Agency, submitted to Rep. Han Byung-do of the Democratic Party of Korea, show that as of 2025, just 128 counselors serve South Korea’s 268 fire stations — fewer than half the number needed for adequate coverage. Last year, 102 counselors handled an average of roughly 779 cases each, highlighting the heavy burden placed on a limited staff caring for traumatized firefighters.
Regional disparities remain severe. In North and South Jeolla Provinces, fewer than 40 percent of fire stations have a counselor on staff.
Counseling sessions for firefighters soared to almost 80,000 last year, up 65 percent from 2020, underscoring growing mental health needs and persistent regional gaps. While half of Seoul’s fire stations are staffed with counselors, Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province continue to face acute shortages.
According to a 2024 survey by the National Fire Agency, among 61,087 firefighters, 4,375 — 7.2 percent — were found to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, while 3,937, or 6.5 percent, reported symptoms of depression. In addition, 3,141, or 5.2 percent, were identified as high-risk for suicide.
Experts warn that official statistics likely understate the problem, as stigma and limited resources prevent many firefighters from seeking help, and numerous symptoms go unreported. Counselors, meanwhile, handle nearly 780 consultations each year on average, stretching already limited resources thin.
Meanwhile, firefighters also face bureaucratic hurdles to take recovery leave, often having to demonstrate personally that their condition is directly linked to their duties.
Last year, only half of requests for work-related mental health leave were approved for first responders sent to disaster sites, according to government statistics. For psychiatric illnesses, even fewer were approved.
Last month, a firefighter involved in the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush response was found dead in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, in an apparent suicide, 10 days after he went missing. He had been diagnosed with PTSD after the Itaewon disaster, and his request for medical leave was rejected prior to his death.
Labor unions and mental health advocates have urged the government to recognize first responders as victims deserving long-term trauma care, citing legal blind spots that also exclude bereaved families and witnesses.
Han condemned the government’s inaction. “It is clear negligence for the state to fail in properly caring for firefighters’ mental health. I will work closely with the administration to ensure that every fire station is assigned at least one counselor as soon as possible.”
If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide, contact Korea's Suicide Crisis hotline at 109. For foreign language assistance to connect with mental health professionals, call Danuri Portal's helpline at 1577-1366.