‘Every day I could die working like this’: Heat pushes South Korean outdoor workers to brink

SEOUL - Mr Kim Hoon, 49, has worked as a formwork carpenter on construction sites since 2002.

While working outdoors during the peak of summer has always been tough, in recent years, the conditions have become even more punishing.

As summers get hotter, longer and more humid, the heat on site often exceeds that of the general outdoor environment, he said, intensified by radiant heat from materials like concrete and asphalt.

He has witnessed more of his colleagues collapsing on site or struggling to cope with the conditions. At times ambulances have to be called.

When a colleague measured temperatures at the site on July 28 - when the day high in Seoul recorded 34 deg C - the concrete floor reached 48 deg C, steel measured 55 deg C and plywood peaked at 70 deg C.

“Looking at that, I thought to myself, we are working in a very difficult environment,” Mr Kim said. “In a summer like this, we think every day that we may die working like this.”

Rising death toll

Mr Kim’s remark is not an exaggeration. As heat waves worsen, reports of outdoor workers dying on the job have increased.

From May 20 to Sept 30 2024, a total of 3,704 heat-related illness cases were reported, including 34 deaths, according to government data. Non-farming outdoor worksites accounted for the highest number of cases at 1,176, followed by rice paddies and fields with 529 cases.

The number of deaths caused by the heat wave was the second highest since 2018, when 48 people died.

In 2025, the number is on course to be even higher. As of Aug 8, a total of 3,363 people had suffered heat-related illnesses since May 20. Among them, 20 people have died. Most cases occurred in outdoor workplaces.

On July 24, a man in his 60s died after collapsing at a high-pressure gas pipeline construction site in Gongdeok-myeon, Gimje. The temperature at the time was 34 deg C, and police suspect heatstroke as the cause of death.

On the same day, another worker in his 50s collapsed while measuring the pipe depth in the same area. He was hospitalised but died two days later. His body temperature reportedly exceeded 40 deg C.

Migrant workers - especially those facing language barriers - are particularly vulnerable. In 2025 alone, three migrant workers have died.

A Myanmarese worker, who was working in a factory that allegedly lacked air conditioning, died after reporting severe headaches in Gimpo. A Chinese worker collapsed from suspected heatstroke at a construction site on Jeju Island, and a Nepalese man in his 40s collapsed while weeding a field.

For parcel delivery workers, the summer heat is a matter of life and death, according to Mr Choi Kwang-ju, who works in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province.

Each day, Mr Choi enters a metal warehouse that turns into a virtual sauna. After organising packages inside for hours, he delivers items - including bottled water and dog meat packages weighing over 20kg - often climbing stairs in walk-up apartments.

“When it’s too hot, sweat drips into your eyes. Because sweat contains salt, it stings. Those who wear glasses often slip on the stairs while trying to wipe off the sweat. It’s very dangerous,” he said.

Between July 4 and 8, three delivery workers died in the greater Seoul area, where extreme heat pushed temperatures close to 40 deg C. The parcel delivery workers’ union claims the fatalities were likely related to the heat.

Not an easy fix

Starting July 17, workplaces where the apparent temperature exceeds 33 deg C are required to provide workers with at least 20 minutes of rest every two hours. The apparent temperature differs slightly from the ambient temperature usually recorded, in that it factors in wind flows and humidity to estimate its effect on humans.

Employers who violate the rule could face up to five years in prison or fines of up to 50 million won (S$46,200).

The revised rules on occupational safety further state that when temperatures exceed 38 deg C, all outdoor work must be suspended.

“When temperatures rise past a certain point, work must be stopped. If someone dies from heatstroke, it’s already too late - that’s just a post-mortem response,” said Professor Lee Jong-sun, a professor at Korea University’s Graduate School of Labour Studies.

However, many worksites are still not fully prepared.

“The reality is that shade structures or rest facilities are still quite inadequate. For example, even just having a shade canopy can lower the temperature by 4 to 5 deg C when we measure it. But even those shade structures are often unavailable,” said Ms Chun Jae-hee, head of the construction labour union under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions.

When The Korea Herald visited the construction site of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education in Yongsan, Seoul, on July 28, the site felt like a blast furnace. The temperature in Yongsan was 37 deg C, but the construction site felt even hotter.

In the basement, there was a large, fully air-conditioned office, but not a single construction worker was inside. Instead, some were seen resting outside near the construction facility.

Even if they are given the chance to rest, it is not always an easy option for workers. In many places, they are paid for hours they actually work, and time off comes with a fall in income.

“Most construction workers are day laborers. If they don’t work, they don’t get paid,” Mr Kim Hoon said.

“Heat waves often come with typhoons, so when both happen, we earn nothing during that period. But we still have to feed our families and send our kids to school,” he said.

“For instance, when we were sent home in the afternoon due to a heat wave, I was supposed to earn 100,000 won that day, but I brought home only 50,000 won. It hurts me sometimes.”

“Last week, it rained all week and I didn’t earn a single won,” he added.

“But we can’t ask our companies to pay us for not working. That doesn’t make sense. We’re not freeloaders.”

Still, as the situation worsens with even more scorching summers predicted, threatening lives of his colleagues, he hopes for some measures come out.

2024’s summer was the hottest since 1973. Meteorologists expect this summer to be even hotter. With heat waves and heavy rains alternating, the lives of outdoor workers are becoming increasingly difficult.

“I know it is not an easy fix and it will take longer to fix this problem. I just want workers, employers and the government to have a dialogue at least to address this issue.” THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK