How a close friend of labor activist Jeon Tae-il keeps his legacy alive

Choi Jong-in, a 78-year-old man, still mourns the loss of his close friend Jeon Tae-il, who was only 22 at the time of his tragic death. On November 13, 1970, Jeon Tae-il took his own life by setting himself on fire in a crowded market in Seoul's Jung District. Choi was the first person to approach Jeon Tae-il, desperately trying to extinguish the flames by wrapping his jacket around the burning body.

Despite the intense suffering Jeon Tae-il endured, he managed to stand up and shout, "We are not machines!" More than five decades have passed since that fateful day, and one might assume Choi would speak about the incident with a calm demeanor, given the time that has elapsed. However, he still struggles to find the words to recount the event.

Choi has never given an interview about Jeon Tae-il, a matter he respects even more now that Jeon's mother, Lee So-sun, has passed away. It was too painful for Choi to speak about Jeon's death while his mother was still alive, as he did not want to add to her emotional anguish. After her death, Choi found it still too painful to speak openly about the incident.

The pain never completely left him, but it did not break him. Instead, he transformed his guilt over losing Jeon Tae-il, the chairman of the Samdong Friendship Association (Samdonghoe), into a commitment to keep his legacy alive.