6 out of 10 Office Workers Say They Must Arrive on Time Despite Typhoons and Heatwaves

A survey revealed that 6 out of 10 office workers in South Korea commute to work on time even during natural disasters such as typhoons and heatwaves.

The civic group Workplace Bullying 119 commissioned the polling agency Global Research to conduct a survey from May 31 to June 10 targeting 1,000 office workers nationwide aged 19 and older regarding their experiences commuting during natural disasters. The results were announced on the 28th. According to the survey, 61.4% of respondents said they had experience commuting on time despite government recommendations for remote work or adjusted working hours during situations such as typhoons, heatwaves, heavy snow, and earthquakes. Additionally, 15.9% reported having experienced or witnessed disadvantages due to being late during natural disaster situations.

On the 17th, when heavy rain fell in the metropolitan area, citizens lined up in front of Seoul Station to take taxis. Photo by Heo Younghan younghan@

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Current labor laws, including the Labor Standards Act, do not have separate provisions regarding work stoppages for workers (excluding public officials) during natural disasters or force majeure events. Therefore, even when heavy rain or typhoon warnings are issued, adjustments to commuting hours or paid leave are determined by internal company policies such as collective agreements or employment rules, or at the discretion of the employer. Workplace Bullying 119 pointed out the problem, stating, "Even when the Ministry of Employment and Labor recommends remote work, these are non-binding recommendations, so workers who are required to commute on time end up sacrificing their personal rest time and safety, having to prepare to leave earlier than usual." This is because being late or absent during disasters is considered the worker’s fault.

There have also been cases where workers were forced to take unpaid leave during natural disasters. Childcare teacher A was instructed last August, when a typhoon closure order was issued, to "use personal annual leave and take a day off since no children would be attending." Although A expressed willingness to come in for paperwork, the request was denied. Additionally, B, who works at a sports facility, faces a reality where the employer exploits a clause in the employment contract stating that "break times due to rain or snow are not included in working hours," preventing attendance on rainy days and causing concerns about wage reductions during the monsoon season.

Labor attorney Jo Ju-hee of Workplace Bullying 119 emphasized, "Although damage from natural disasters such as heatwaves and heavy rain is worsening every year due to climate change, the reality is that most workers must continue to commute under dangerous conditions. It is necessary to establish practical systems and laws so that workers can work safely in a changing environment."

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