Seoul's First Vice Mayor Kim Sang-han, left, presents an honorary citizenship certificate to Ruslan Kairambayev, a staff member at the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Korea, during a ceremony at Seoul City Hall, Friday. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

Ruslan Kairambayev, an employee at the Kazakh Embassy in Korea, has been named an Honorary Citizen of Seoul for 2024 in recognition of his heroic act of single-handedly extinguishing a car fire.

According to the Seoul city government, last December, Kairambayev saw a fire on the hood of a vehicle as it was leaving the Kazakhstan embassy in Yongsan and rushed over to extinguish it. Using a nearby fire extinguisher, he put out the flames in about 20 seconds. The city said Kairambayev's action prevented the vehicle fire from escalating into a fatal accident.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Kairambayev's selection as part of a group of 16 foreigners from 14 countries honored for their significant contributions to the city.

Since 1958, Seoul has been awarding honorary citizenship to exemplary foreigners and distinguished guests.

Kairambayev's courageous act was highlighted during the selection process, which included nominations from embassies, public institutions, social organizations and endorsements from over 30 citizens between May 31 and June 28. The final selections were made after the Seoul City Council's thorough screening and approval.

The honorary citizenship certificates were presented at a ceremony on Friday in the multipurpose hall of Seoul City Hall. Honorary citizens can also participate in Seoul city events and governance.

"We sincerely thank Ruslan Kairambayev and the other 15 honorary citizens who have made Seoul a warmer and more vibrant city," an official from the Seoul Metropolitan Government said.