Foreign residents volunteer to help Korean fire victims

Volunteer workers gather at Andong Gymnasium, where temporary shelters are set up for fire victims, in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, April 4. Courtesy of Seoul Foreign Resident Center

In response to the massive wildfires that swept through Korea’s southeastern regions earlier this year, the Seoul Metropolitan Government launched a special program inviting foreign residents to support those affected by the disaster.

The initial aim was to find a few dozen people who would be willing to join in and do volunteer work on April 4 in Andong, a city several hours away from central Seoul in North Gyeongsang Province, or in Yeongdeok, a county located further east.

But within a day of the plan's announcement, more than 300 foreign residents in the city applied through the city-run Seoul Foreign Resident Center.

“It was a pleasant surprise,” a city official who helped organize the program told The Korea Times. “But for safety reasons, we could not take everyone there. Eventually, 71 were selected to join the mission and sent to the affected areas.”

Along with 27 medical professionals and 58 city officials, the foreign volunteer workers went separately to Andong and Yeongdeok, where they moved and sorted boxes of relief goods, cleaned temporary shelters set up for fire victims and provided other help.

Volunteer workers sort relief goods at a facility where temporary shelters are set up for fire victims in Yeongdeok, North Gyeongsang Province, April 4. Courtesy of Seoul Foreign Resident Center

“Many volunteer workers, including myself, shed tears over the tragedy there,” said Thomas Lianzamang, from India. “After reading news about the fires, I think a lot of foreign residents would like to offer help. They just don’t know how. So when I saw the opportunity, I did not hesitate.”

Lianzamang, who has lived in Seoul for the past 16 years, said the volunteer work brought him closer to Korean society.

"South Korea is like a second home to me and it is the country which gave me love and care, so going as a volunteer was like a small way to give back and show that I also feel the hurt and pain as my own. It really saddened me to see these unfortunate things happening to this beautiful country and to people," he said. "My tears run for them and my prayers and wishes are with them all. I am looking forward to give my best and to be always part of activities like this in the future, too. God Bless Korea."

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, citizens from 18 foreign countries participated in the program, many of them students. Vietnamese nationals made up the largest group at 51 percent, followed by Mongolians at 13 percent and Chinese nationals at 7 percent.

Volunteer workers move boxes containing relief goods in Yeongdeok, North Gyeongsang Province, April 4. Courtesy of Seoul Foreign Resident Center

Zahra Olyatoo, from Afghanistan, said she was very impressed by enormous support pouring in from all parts of the country.

“There were so many volunteers and so many relief goods. I was impressed by the kindness shown for the victims at the scene,” she said.

When asked whether she would participate in another program for volunteer work, she said she would love to.

“I told the foreign resident center that I will be available to participate throughout this year. I’m glad that I can help people in Korea,” she said.

The city government has so far dispatched volunteers to the fire-affected regions twice ― on April 4 and 24. With more work remaining to be done in those regions, especially after a large fire broke out on a mountain in Daegu on April 28, it is now planning to send more teams to some of the areas, officials said.