[Unofficial Korean-to-English translation provided by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]

“South Korea: Working in the heat' causes 147 heat illnesses, 22 fatalities in 6 years,” 30 June 2024

As climate change has led to more frequent heat waves, the number of approved occupational accidents due to heat illnesses has increased to 147 in the past six years, according to a new study by the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Heat illnesses were concentrated in the construction industry and manufacturing industry, and in small workplaces with fewer than 300 employees.

... According to the 'Status of Approved Occupational Accidents for Heat Illnesses' data submitted to the National Assembly by the Labor Welfare Service on the 30th June, a total of 147 cases of occupational accidents for heat illnesses such as heat stroke, exhaustion, and heat cramps were approved from 2018 to last year, of which 22 were fatal.