Steam and Heat Exposure Turn Gwangju School Kitchens Into Ovens
Cooling System Failures and Poor Ventilation Persist
"No Time Even to Drink Water"... Intense Labor Continues
Staff Shortages and Repeated Frying Lead to Frequent Exhaustion Incidents
Office of Education Says "Preventive Measures and Guidelines Provided"
A kitchen worker soaked with sweat and steam is washing dishes in the hot heat of a school kitchen in Gwangju. Provided by the School Irregular Workers Union
"We sweat so much that our uniforms are completely soaked. Sometimes I get dizzy and have to lie down for a moment, but then I get back to the cooking station. Still, the meals have to be served on time."
On July 22, school kitchen workers interviewed by Asia Economy described their workplace as "stifling." The internal temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius due to the heat and steam generated during cooking, and the humidity rises above 50%. The areas near heat sources such as soup pots and griddles are even hotter.
Cooling and ventilation equipment are essential to prevent heat-related illnesses, but breakdowns and aging of these facilities are recurring problems. Workers pointed out, "Repairs for air conditioners are repeatedly postponed, and the hoods often push air back in rather than ventilate." The Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education explained that it had completed measures for inefficient facilities after a comprehensive inspection, but workers reported otherwise.
This is not just a problem in Gwangju. At one school in Gyeonggi Province, meals have been prepared for three years with a broken air handling unit, and there was an incident where a kitchen worker fainted. At a school in Daegu, the ventilation fan and hood operated in opposite directions. Workers testified, "Days when we fry food or make pancakes are especially grueling," and "Just standing in front of the soup pot can cause exhaustion symptoms."
The Ministry of Education recommends limiting fried foods in school meals to no more than twice a week as a measure to prevent lung cancer. However, there have been reports that some schools serve fried foods and pancakes more than four times a week, citing food poisoning prevention as the reason.
As labor continues under high temperatures without proper cooling and amid time pressure, dehydration is also frequent. One worker said, "There is no time to drink water while working. Although the installation of ice water dispensers or the provision of ion drinks has been recommended, very few schools have actually implemented this."
Lack of manpower is another major cause. A representative from the Gwangju branch of the School Irregular Workers Union said, "If five people cook for 500 servings, that's 100 servings per person, but if one person is absent, each must prepare 150 servings," adding, "The labor intensity increases exponentially." The representative explained that only with sufficient staffing can proper shifts and breaks be ensured, and exposure to heat be reduced.
A kitchen worker is working in front of a cooking pot emitting hot steam in a school cafeteria in Gwangju. Provided by the School Irregular Workers Union
Kitchen workers also criticized the "Global Day" event operated by the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education, saying, "We don't know who this event is for." Global Day is held once a month at 334 kindergartens, elementary, middle, and high schools in the Gwangju area, where a country is selected and a representative dish from that country is served during meal time.
The exclusive self-service counters for faculty members were also pointed out as a problem. One worker said, "Although they are prohibited, they have not disappeared. Even when preparing enough for all students, there is a shortage of staff, so additional serving is an excessive burden." In some schools, there have been burn accidents during dish sterilization, and cuts during fish preparation. Workers also claimed that other accidents, such as finger amputations, repeatedly occur during processes like boiling beef bone soup overnight or grinding chili peppers by hand to make kimchi.
Tension continues even before the summer break. Workers said that industrial accidents increase during "preparation days" in the vacation period. Tasks include boiling tableware and cleaning hoods, ceilings, and floors with chemicals, and "working in a squatting position strains the wrists, and burns and fractures are common," adding, "Cooks in their mid-50s are already suffering from chronic injuries."
According to the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education, 335 elementary, middle, high, special schools, and independent kindergartens in the Gwangju area operate meal services. Of these, 309 schools have independent kitchens, and a total of 1,966 kitchen staff are employed, including 321 cooks and 1,645 kitchen assistants. The average number of kitchen staff per school is about six.
An official from the city’s Office of Education stated, "At the end of May, we provided all schools with preventive measures against heat-related illnesses, and additional guidelines in accordance with the revised industrial safety and health standards will be distributed this week." The official added, "Last year, we inspected the efficiency of cooling devices in cafeterias at all schools, and took corrective action after on-site checks where needed." Regarding the installation of ice water dispensers, the official said, "This was provided as a recommendation."
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