Heroic Tale of Sugianto Saving South Korean Elderly Makes Prabowo Proud
An Indonesian fisherman named Sugianto was awarded by South Korean President Lee Jae-myung for saving an elderly person from a fire. In addition to receiving the award, his heroic action garnered much praise.
Sugianto had the opportunity to meet President Prabowo Subianto at the Presidential Palace of the Republic of Korea, Cheong Wa Dae (Blue House), on Thursday (2/4/2026). Prabowo was on a state visit at the time.
Sugianto was respectfully invited by South Korean President Lee Jae-myung while hosting Prabowo and the visiting delegation to South Korea. In the meeting, Prabowo showed a gesture of pride towards Sugianto.
On par with the other honoured guests, Sugianto wore a complete suit and stood beside the South Korean President. Flanked by Prabowo and Lee, Sugianto briefly conversed with Prabowo.
Prabowo shook Sugianto’s hand, patted his back several times as a sign of pride. Before leaving Sugianto, Prabowo gave a short but meaningful message.
“Take good care of yourself, they like you,” said Prabowo proudly.
Sugianto Saves 7 Elderly
Sugianto is beloved by the South Korean community for saving seven elderly people from a forest fire in Yeongdeok in March 2025. His heroic action made him known and admired by South Korean and Indonesian residents.
At that time, Sugianto woke up the sleeping elderly as the flames engulfed the forest and surrounding areas. He carried the elderly one by one to a safer area.
His action received praise for being considered a hero. His heroic deed was rewarded with many honours. He received the Order of Civil Merit from South Korean President Lee Jae-myung.
He also received appreciation and awards from Indonesia’s Ministry of Manpower Protection for Migrant Workers (P2MI). Additionally, he was appointed as an Ambassador for Indonesian Migrant Workers.
Furthermore, Sugianto obtained an F-2 visa from South Korea’s Ministry of Justice. The F-2 visa allows its holder to stay in South Korea for up to five years.
The Fire Incident
According to Korea JoongAng Daily, the forest fire started in Yeongdeok, North Gyeongsang, South Korea, around 11 pm on 25 March 2025. Sugianto and the village fishing community leader, Yoo Myung-sin, then knocked on neighbours’ doors and warned those who were resting to evacuate immediately.
The Indonesian fisherman arrived in South Korea about nine years ago. His village is by the seaside, located in a flat area that makes it difficult for the elderly to evacuate.
To ensure quick evacuation, Yoo and Sugianto carried their elderly neighbours on their backs. They then ran to the embankment about 300 metres from the residential area.
“What I thought about was just saving the grandmothers and residents quickly,” said Sugianto.
He also told public broadcaster KBS that he helped about seven older adults evacuate from the Uiseong fire. The Indonesian fisherman said he does not remember how far he ran across the village with Yoo.
Moments When the Fire Grew
Sugianto said he was scared when he saw one shop engulfed in flames while carrying an elderly woman on his back. The woman woke up after hearing shouts of “Hurry! Hurry!”.
A Yeongdeok resident in his 90s said people might have died if not for the Indonesian fisherman.
“I could evacuate from my house because he was at my door after I woke up hearing the shouts,” said the elderly resident.
He said his wife knew the story of him helping the villagers. He mentioned his wife was proud of his actions.
The villagers also praised Sugianto and Yoo for their heroism. Some said they wanted to live and work with a responsible young man like him. The seaside village has about 60 residents, all of whom were safely evacuated to the embankment when the Uiseong fire reached Yeongdeok.