[EDITORIALS]Quiet heroes behind scenes

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[EDITORIALS]Quiet heroes behind scenes

Silently supporting the triumph of our advancing to the semifinals of the World Cup were the police and volunteers. A flicker of emotion was betrayed on the faces of police officers standing on duty under the scorching sun the moment Korea's dramatic victory over Spain was decided, but the officers soon recomposed themselves and returned to their duty. Amid the noise on the streets as a red wave of some 5 million people rushed out to celebrate, the officers quickly dispersed the crowd and the fever before it escalated into any serious accidents or other mishaps. The police officers watched from the edges of the crowd that had gathered into the middle of the roads, discreetly but efficiently controlling the mass of people hugging, shouting and dancing in celebration. Behind the overwhelming scenes of magic on the streets intoxicated by the chants of "Dae-han-min-guk" from Red Devils and Korean citizens was the sweat and hard work of the police.

The 119 rescue squad was also there. The faces of rescue workers carrying those who had fallen with sunstroke or dehydration in the 30-degree centigrade heat were grim with responsibility to let the others manifest their joy. Then there were the street cleaners on whose shoulders had fallen the task of sweeping up after the biggest street rallies in Korean history.

We can't forget the efforts of the volunteer guides and other supporters who guarded the stadiums until late hours, working to keep order during the games and to clean the seats after the games were over. Their bright smiles have given us reason to believe in our communal spirit and strength once more. These were all scenes in which we showed that our society was one built on firm foundations and with hard-working members worthy of our World Cup semifinal ticket. The BBB movement, a volunteer service offering free translation and guide assistance to foreigners, also played a part behind scenes. The movement received 15,000 calls from visitors over the last two months and proved that it, too, could become a successful cultural asset.

Let's save part of our celebration of our soccer team's victory to give cheers for these hard-working, diligent helpers. Without their silent help, we would never have experienced the joy and triumph that we have shown the world.
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