South Korea mandates breaks for outdoor workers in deadly heat


A woman uses a piece of paper to shade herself from the sun as she waits to cross a road in Seoul on July 10, 2025, as a heat wave warning has been issued by the South Korean government. More than a thousand people have been affected by heat-related illnesses in South Korea, officials said on July 9, as the country recorded its highest early July temperature since records began. - AFP

SEOUL: South Korea will require outdoor workers to receive at least 20 minutes of rest every two hours when apparent temperatures exceed 33 deg C from as early as next week, the Ministry of Employment and Labour said on July 11.

The new rule – part of a revision to the occupational safety and health standards – was passed during a review by the Regulatory Reform Committee on July 11. It had been initially rejected in April and May over concerns that it would overburden small and medium-sized enterprises.

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