Migrant workers in rural Korean greenhouses continue working in 39-degree heat as worksite guidelines go ignored
The temperature inside the greenhouse was surpassing 38 degrees Celsius as a Nepali migrant worker, in his 30s and asked to be identified only as A, bent at the waist to pull weeds among the chives, Thursday. "It's hot," he said, his face and blue cotton T-shirt soaked in sweat. It was 2:10 p.m., the hottest part of the day. When asked whether he could take a break, A replied, “My employer says I…
On a scorching Thursday, Nepali migrant worker A, in his 30s, labored among chives in a greenhouse in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, Korea. The temperature inside had surpassed 38 degrees Celsius, making it the peak of the day and the hottest moment for the workers. Despite the hazardous conditions, A was compelled to continue working by his employer. He admitted that he had to persevere through 10-hour shifts starting at 6:30 a.m.
Government guidelines recommend halting all nonessential outdoor work and providing workers with breaks every two hours during severe heat waves. However, workers at the farm noted that these advisories were largely ignored. Other migrant workers were also observed working in twos and threes without any cooling measures in sight, such as fans or water stations.
As the heat wave warning escalated, the workers' plight remained unaddressed, highlighting the disregard for safety protocols in the face of extreme weather conditions.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
