[Jjinbit] Even If They 'Went to Work Anyway,' the Daily Life of K-Employees Has Changed

Realistic Concerns Over Attendance on Martial Law Day
Normal Attendance and Daily Routine Maintained After Lifting Next Day

Editor's Note[Jjinbit] is a shortened form of 'Jung Hyunjin's Business Trend' and 'Real Business Trend,' a segment that showcases trends in the changing world of work.

On the night of the 3rd, when martial law was declared, the reporter heard from an acquaintance who was still working in the office. The news showed soldiers and police surrounding the National Assembly, with lawmakers climbing over walls to enter the plenary hall. The acquaintance, who was working late to complete a report to submit to superiors and was heading home at 1 a.m. on the 4th, the day after the martial law declaration, said they felt fear, bitterly smiling as they said, "I wondered if I would be dragged away by the martial law troops while working overtime."

The sudden declaration of martial law, so unreal it felt surreal, forced Korean office workers, so-called 'K-jikjangin,' to face the reality of having to confirm whether they should go to work the next day. The declaration of martial law in the middle of a weekday night threw companies into chaos. LG Electronics, which has offices in Yeouido, recommended telecommuting to its employees. IT companies Naver and NCSoft initially instructed employees to work from home during the early morning but then, six hours later, after the martial law was lifted, ordered them to return to the office. Thus, the next morning, K-jikjangin commuted to work by public transportation or private cars as usual.

The surprise martial law declaration also imposed another practical concern on dual-income couples: their children's school and daycare attendance. With military and police forces armed and storming the National Assembly to block it, parents worried whether it was safe to send their children to school and daycare centers. Since the parents’ work schedules were intertwined with school and daycare closures, they had to decide whether to take leave immediately. It was only after receiving a notice from the Ministry of Education around 12:53 a.m. the next day stating, "All work and academic schedules will operate normally," that working moms and dads breathed a sigh of relief.

The daily life of K-jikjangin thus continued. Had the martial law not ended overnight but persisted, the confusion among K-jikjangin would have intensified. Companies would have had to devise management measures considering employee safety amid uncertainty. Observing the rapidly changing situation, individuals would have demanded action from their workplaces, and working parents would have needed to find safe places to leave their children.

The term K-jikjangin is often used self-deprecatingly. It implies that no matter what happens, office workers continue their daily routine of commuting to and from work. Posts on social networking services (SNS) such as "Made it to work despite last night’s martial law" or "This morning, even Coupang’s rocket delivery broke through martial law. Such a bittersweet reality" vividly reflect the current state of K-jikjangin. I clearly remember last May, when I received a disaster alert text on the bus during my commute, saying "Warning alert issued. Prepare to evacuate," following North Korea’s space launch, and looked around bewildered.

What is clear is that K-jikjangin, who consistently maintain their daily routines by going to work, are democratic citizens supporting our society. Even if it seems like nothing happened as they commute daily, we spent the entire night watching the news with anxious hearts and sleepless nights. At lunchtime the next day, we shared our fears with colleagues. On weekends off work, we raised our voices on the streets in freezing weather. Now, three weeks after the martial law announcement, the gaze of K-jikjangin remains fixed on the ongoing news of martial law and impeachment. We must not forget that their interest will continue going forward.