24 Fatalities from Heat-Related Workplace Illnesses over Past 5 Years

Workplace accidents caused by heat-related illnesses across the country have more than tripled over the past five years, data showed.

According to data obtained from the Ministry of Employment and Labor and released today (September 26) by the office of Representative Kim So-hee of the People Power Party, a member of the National Assembly's Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee, the number of industrial accident victims suffering from heat-related illnesses surged 3.3 times over the five-year period, from 25 in 2021 to 83 last year.

The number of victims of industrial accidents has been steadily increasing each year.

A total of 243 workers were recognized as victims of occupational illnesses over the five years, with 29 people approved for industrial accident compensation in 2022, 33 in 2023, and 73 in 2024.

During the same period, heat-related illnesses claimed 24 lives.

The year with the highest number of fatalities was 2022 with seven deaths, followed by six in 2024 and five in 2025.

By industry, the construction sector accounted for the highest number of industrial accident cases at 113.

Manufacturing followed with 34 cases, followed by facility management and business support services (24 cases), and state and local government projects (22 cases).

In the agriculture sector, six industrial accident victims were recorded over the five-year span.

By region, Gyeonggi Province logged the highest number of cases at 59, followed by Seoul (31), South Gyeongsang Province (30), and South Chungcheong Province (26).

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.