Worker Dies Amid Heatwave at South Korean Shipyard; Cause Disputed

A subcontracted worker at a major shipyard in Geoje, South Korea, died on July 25 after experiencing dizziness while working under a heatwave warning. The death has sparked a dispute between the labor union and the company over the cause, with the union attributing it to heatstroke and the company citing acute myocardial infarction.

The 58-year-old worker, identified as 'B', was employed by a subcontractor at the Geoje shipyard. While assembling blocks on July 25, he reportedly complained of dizziness and went to a nearby changing room. Colleagues found him in distress and contacted the company's medical staff. Company medical personnel transported 'B' to a local hospital via ambulance at 3:22 PM.

Doctors at the hospital initially diagnosed 'B' with 'unspecified acute myocardial infarction' and arranged for his transfer to a university hospital in Busan. However, approximately ten minutes into the transfer, 'B' suffered cardiac arrest. The ambulance returned to the local hospital, where resuscitation efforts were made, but 'B' ultimately passed away at 5:37 PM.

The labor union strongly contends that the death was a direct result of heat-related illness, pointing to the heatwave warning in effect that day and the recorded temperature of 34.19 degrees Celsius in the work area. They argue that 'B's' symptoms, including dizziness and lower body paralysis, were indicative of heatstroke.

Conversely, the company maintains that 'B's' body temperature was normal when measured by both company medical staff and the hospital. They also highlight the medical opinion of acute myocardial infarction as the cause of death, rejecting the union's heatstroke claim. The company insists that the worker's symptoms and the medical findings do not support the assertion of a heat-related fatality.