"'Corona Overwork' Death of Public Official: Union Files Lawsuit to Recognize as Occupational Duty Death"

Overtime of 117 Hours in July and 110 Hours in August

The memorial altar for the public official from Bupyeong-gu Health Center in Incheon who passed away last year. Photo by Jeon-guk Public Officials Labor Union Incheon Regional Headquarters Bupyeong-gu Branch provided.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seoyoon] The public officials' union has filed an administrative lawsuit after the 'hazardous duty death' of a public health center official in Incheon, who died while responding to COVID-19, was not recognized.

The Bupyeong District Branch of the National Public Officials Labor Union Incheon Regional Headquarters announced on the 6th that it filed an administrative lawsuit with the Seoul Administrative Court against the Ministry of Personnel Management, which did not recognize the hazardous duty death of Cheon Minwoo (35 years old at the time of death), a public official at Bupyeong District Public Health Center.

The public officials' union argues that the Ministry of Personnel Management interpreted the scope of hazardous duty death related to COVID-19 response too narrowly. Previously, the Ministry held a Public Officials' Disaster Compensation Review Committee and recognized Cheon’s death as a 'duty death,' but did not recognize it as a 'hazardous duty death.'

Hazardous duty death applies when a person dies from a direct accident while performing duties involving a high degree of risk. If recognized as a hazardous duty death, the bereaved family receives higher compensation and pension benefits than for a general duty death.

The law office representing the lawsuit on behalf of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions stated, "The Ministry of Personnel Management narrowly interpreted the scope of hazardous duty death by focusing on whether the deceased was directly exposed to the risk of infection. We believe the deceased died in the line of duty while performing hazardous tasks completely different from usual work at the frontline of COVID-19 response at the public health center."

Earlier, Cheon was found dead around 10 a.m. on September 15 last year in an apartment in Michuhol District, Incheon. The deceased, a grade 8 public official, had been responsible for tracing the movements of confirmed COVID-19 cases at the Bupyeong District Public Health Center's situation room since January last year. During July and August last year, when confirmed cases surged, he worked overtime by 117 and 110 hours per month, respectively.