High school girl saves man from jumping off a bridge

A female high school student in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province received a police commendation for helping a man in his 40s who tried to jump off a bridge into the river from a bridge.

According to the Gyeongbuk Police Agency on Tuesday, the 112 Security Situation Room received an urgent call at 8:53 p.m. on Sunday. The call was made by Kim Eun-woo (age 18), a third-year student at Pohang Central Girls’ High School. “A man is trying to jump into the river. Please come quickly,” she shouted.

Kim said that she was crossing the Yeonil Bridge over the Hyeongsan River on her way home from studying when she noticed a man in his 40s trying to jump over the bridge railing and into the river. “He seemed like he was going to jump at any moment, so I climbed over the railing, held his legs together, and kept convincing him to talk,’” she said. “I heard her voice, frantically shouting ‘please, please’ through the receiver,” said a police officer.

The police arrived at the scene three minutes after the call. The police calmed the man down, moved him to a safe place, and led him to his family. The Gyeongbuk Police Agency awarded Kim a certificate of appreciation for saving a valued life. “The only thought I had was that I had to save (the man), so I held on to him,” said Kim. “I’m glad that he is alive, and though I don’t know what troubles him, I hope he overcomes his difficulties.”


안동=명민준 기자 mmj86@donga.com