Summer in Rural Areas Is a Disaster... Heatstroke Risk Up to 35 Times Higher [Workers in Crisis] ⑧

Most Heat-Related Deaths Occur in Rice Paddies and Fields
Urgent Need for Tailored Heatwave Countermeasures

As the record-breaking heatwave continues, farmers are being hit hard. They are left defenseless against heat-related illnesses, and there have even been a growing number of deaths as a result.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on July 30, there have been 309 cases of heat-related illnesses in rice paddies and fields this summer (as of July 27). By year, the numbers have been steadily increasing: 159 cases in 2021, 230 cases in 2022, 395 cases in 2023, and 529 cases last year.

The number of deaths from heat-related illnesses is overwhelmingly higher in rural areas. Of the 238 deaths between 2011 and 2024, 76 occurred in rice paddies and fields?the highest among all settings. The aging population in rural areas has made the damage from heatwaves even more severe. Last year, 371 cases of heat-related illness were reported among those working in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, with more than half of them being seniors aged 65 or older. For the elderly, their ability to regulate body temperature is reduced, and those with chronic diseases have significantly lower resistance to heatwaves.

According to the 2022 paper "Occupational Heat Stress and Agricultural Workers: A Scoping Review" published in the US National Library of Medicine (PMC), the mortality rate from heatstroke among agricultural workers is up to 35 times higher than in other industries. This is the result of a combination of factors: the structure of long working hours in outdoor high-temperature environments, lack of shade, insufficient drinking water, inadequate protective equipment, and limited access to healthcare for migrant workers. The paper evaluated the risk based on US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics from 1992 to 2006, which showed that the mortality rate in agriculture was 0.39 per 100,000 people, compared to an average of 0.02 per 100,000 across all industries.

Not only people but also crops are suffering from the heat. The Korea Meteorological Administration's "2024 Abnormal Climate Report" stated that the area of crop damage caused by heatwaves last year reached 3,477.1 hectares. Summer heatwaves increase the respiration rate of crops, lowering their sugar content, and cause fruits or leaves to be scorched or dried out by the sun. Leafy vegetables such as lettuce and perilla leaves wilt, while heat-sensitive crops like ginseng have their roots and stems dry up and die. Even when working under the scorching sun, harvests decrease, leaving farmers both physically and mentally exhausted.

Experts have emphasized the urgent need for heatwave countermeasures tailored to rural areas. Kim Won, director of the Institute for Labor, Environment, and Health, said, "The rural population is often elderly, which means their ability to cope with heat stress is likely to be low. It is important to recommend heatwave safety guidelines and strengthen education on heatwave risks through networks such as local agricultural technology centers that can deliver information close to the field."

Choi Eunhee, a professor at the Department of Nursing at Eulji University, said, "When a heatwave is forecast, public health centers should reach out to the elderly by phone or in person. It is also necessary to expand shelters where farmers can rest, in cooperation with local governments."