Elderly farmers toil in heatwave, leading to fatal heatstroke incidents

Despite soaring temperatures reaching 37.2 degrees Celsius, elderly farmers are compelled to work in their fields, a reality that has led to a tragic increase in heatstroke fatalities. In Jeonbuk province, an 86-year-old resident lamented the danger, stating, "You shouldn't work in the fields in this heat. You shouldn't." His words followed the death of a woman in her 90s from heatstroke while working on her small plot of land.

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You shouldn't work in the fields in this heat. You shouldn't.

Farmers explain that delaying harvests for crops like peppers and sesame is not an option. Missing the peak season means reduced marketability or the crops falling to the ground, making them unharvestable. Eighty-one-year-old Kim Soon-rae, harvesting sesame seeds, explained, "If I don't pick them now, all the sesame will fall, and we won't be able to eat them." She traveled from Jeonju to work before lunch, despite the intense heat.

This dangerous reality has resulted in numerous deaths. In Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, three people died from heatstroke on consecutive days while working in rice paddies or fields. A man in his 70s died in a sesame field in Gunwi County, North Gyeongsang Province. Jeonbuk Province alone has recorded six suspected heatstroke deaths this year, a stark increase from one last year. All victims were elderly, with four collapsing and dying in fields or small gardens.

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If I don't pick them now, all the sesame will fall, and we won't be able to eat them.

While local governments are issuing warnings via village broadcasts and emergency text messages, and operating cooling centers, these measures fall short for those actively working the land. Farmers cannot easily check their phones or hear broadcasts while toiling in the fields. More importantly, the advice to avoid outdoor activity does little to deter farmers facing imminent crop loss. For elderly farmers working alone, seeking help during heatstroke symptoms is difficult, and discovery can be significantly delayed.

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Farmers who have worked their entire lives rarely miss a day in the fields. This is especially true for those working small plots of land near their homes.