Social Worker Saves Two Women from Jumping Off Mapo Bridge

On September 10, 2024, a social worker named Jeong Seon-ah (정선아), who works at the Hanyang University Hospital's Crisis Response Center, made headlines for her heroic act. While passing by the Mapo Bridge in Seoul with a friend early in the morning, she spotted two women in their twenties attempting to jump off the bridge. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Jeong and her friend rushed to intervene, grabbing the women and pulling them back to safety before calling emergency services. They held onto the women for about ten minutes until help arrived, preventing a potential tragedy. Jeong recalled that she initially thought the women were just talking, but as they got closer, it became clear they were about to jump. Her professional experience in dealing with suicide prevention instinctively kicked in, driving her to act. The Crisis Response Center, established in 2017, is the only facility in Seoul that operates a 24-hour emergency response system, providing aftercare for over 500 individuals who have attempted suicide each year. Jeong expressed that while she meets many patients in her line of work, the gratitude she receives from those she helps motivates her to continue. This incident reinforced her belief in the importance of her role in saving lives and her commitment to helping others find hope.