JAKARTA - An Indonesian fisherman working in South Korea has received a presidential honour for rescuing elderly residents during a massive forest fire.

Sugianto, 31, was awarded the recognition by President Lee Jae-myung during a New Year’s celebration at the Blue House in Seoul on January 2.

He said the honour made him the first Indonesian national to be recognised directly by a South Korean head of state.

“It felt like a dream. I was the only Indonesian among the recipients, who were all South Koreans,” he said, as quoted by Kompas.com.

Sugianto, who has worked in South Korea for eight years, said he never expected to meet the president, let alone receive an award.

“I was truly surprised, because even South Koreans say it is very difficult to meet the president,” he said.

He said he hopes the recognition will inspire Indonesian migrant workers worldwide to continue helping others regardless of nationality.

“We need to show that Indonesians are friendly and always willing to help others,” he said.

South Korea was hit by a severe wildfire outbreak between March 21 and May 15, 2025, with more than 20 blazes burning simultaneously across the country.

The disaster claimed 32 lives, including three firefighters and one government official, and forced more than 37,000 people to evacuate.

One of the affected areas was Gyeongjeong village in North Gyeongsang Province, where Sugianto lives and works as a fisherman.

The small coastal settlement, located in a hilly area, is home to about 60 residents, most of whom are elderly.

Sugianto told the BBC that thick haze had blanketed the village for days before the fire approached.

He said the village head issued an evacuation order on March 25 as the fire drew closer.

Sugianto said he went to the designated evacuation point but realised that many residents had not arrived.

Wearing a mask, he went door to door to guide residents to safety and carried those who were unable to walk.

He successfully rescued seven elderly villagers that night, and no fatalities were reported in the village.

Several homes were destroyed by the fire, but all residents survived.

Sugianto said the attention surrounding his actions has led to multiple job offers in South Korea.

He said he chose to remain in his current role due to his close bond with the Gyeongjeong village community, which he now considers his second family.

He added that several filmmakers have approached him about turning his story into a film.

The South Korean government is also reviewing the possibility of granting him an F-2 long-term residency visa for skilled foreigners.

Despite the recognition, Sugianto said his priority remains his family in Indonesia.

The fisherman, who has a wife and a five-year-old son in Indramayu, West Java, said he plans to return home within the next three years.