Hero's sacrifice seen as proof of friendship between two countries

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea unveiled a monument on Sunday to commemorate Zhang Jingrong, a Chinese man who rescued three DPRK girls from drowning in the sea off Rason city.

Zhang's family members and relatives, Consul General Tian Baozhen of China's consulate-general in DPRK's Chongjing, officials from China's Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture and officials of the Rason City People's Committee attended the unveiling ceremony, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Zhang, a businessman from Yanbian in Northeast China's Jilin province, sacrificed himself to save the girls on Aug 15, 2010.

The 46-year-old was visiting Rason when he heard cries for help at noon on a beach near the city and saw three Korean girls drifting away with the waves while grasping a single swimming ring.

Zhang and his colleague Ruan Xingwang immediately jumped into the sea and swam toward the girls. The men attempted to push the girls' swimming ring back to the beach, but a wave swept one of the girls away. Zhang turned around and pushed her back to the swimming ring, but he himself was swept away by a subsequent huge wave.

Choe Ryon-suk, vice-chairwoman of the Rason City People's Committee, said at the ceremony that people of both the DPRK and China will remember Zhang for the noble internationalism he displayed, according to the Korean Central News Agency of the DPRK.

Zhang Peng, son of Zhang Jingrong, and Jon Un-ju, one of the three rescued girls, also took part in the ceremony.

"I told the Korean girl through a translator not to put too much on her shoulders for my father's death, " Zhang Peng said after he came back from the DPRK on Monday evening.

Gao Yanhong, of Yanbian News, shared with China Daily her experience as one of the spectators in Sunday's ceremony.

"The DPRK government has been active in commemorating Zhang Jingrong. Local people have gathered to witness the unveiling moment," Gao said.

"The monument, which is 1.5 meters high, says in both Chinese and Korean that Zhang's sacrifice demonstrates the Sino-DPRK friendship. And Jon, the Korean girl, said she will treat Zhang's family as her own," Gao added.

Zhang Peng expressed concern about his mother.

"My mother has to move back and forth between Yanbian and Rason for our family business. But now the city makes it easier for her to deal with what happened there. My sister is accompanying her, and I expect the Korean girl could help ease her sadness while staying in Rason."

The eldest son said he was proud of his father's heroic deeds.

"But unlike before, the sea now looks miserable for me," said Zhang, who sounded calm in the telephone but had a bitterness hard to hide.

wangchenyan@chinadaily.com.cn