Public Official Dies After Overtime Worsens Depression... Court Recognizes as Occupational Disease

"Cancellation of Denial of Survivor Benefits for Death in the Line of Duty"

The court has ruled that the death of a public official, whose depression worsened due to work-related burdens, constitutes an occupational disease.

According to the legal community on January 5, the Seoul Administrative Court's Administrative Division 3 (Presiding Judge Choi Sujin) recently ruled in favor of the plaintiff in a lawsuit filed by the spouse of the late public official, identified as A, against the head of the Ministry of Personnel Management, seeking to overturn the denial of survivor benefits for death in the line of duty.

A was appointed as a local educational administration official in 2006 and was assigned as the head of administration at a school in January 2022. Immediately after taking up the new post, A worked 44 hours of overtime in January 2022 and 22 hours in February, and was found to have continuously expressed concerns about work-related burdens and stress to acquaintances and family. In March 2022, A was diagnosed with depression and went on medical leave.

A returned to work in July of the same year and was assigned to a library. However, just over a month after returning, in August 2022, A was found dead on the basement stairs of the library. A's spouse claimed, "Depression worsened due to work-related stress, leading to death," and applied for survivor benefits for death in the line of duty. However, the Ministry of Personnel Management rejected the claim, stating, "It is difficult to see that there was a sufficient work-related cause to result in death."

The court, however, overturned the Ministry of Personnel Management's decision. The panel stated, "It can be inferred that A's depression worsened due to work-related stress, resulting in a significant decline in normal cognitive and decision-making abilities, ultimately leading to death," and canceled the denial of survivor benefits.

The court cited as grounds that A stated during counseling sessions, "I even went to work on Sundays," and "The work as head of administration is too difficult," as well as the fact that symptoms of depression rapidly worsened after assuming the new post. The court further noted, "It is difficult to conclude that suicidal thoughts repeatedly appeared before A was assigned to this position," and determined, "A's death constitutes an occupational disease with a significant causal relationship to the performance of official duties."