Gyeonggi education office to pay lung-cancer school cooks 10 million won without lawsuits
In short
The Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education said on 22 October it will pay school meal workers approved for industrial-accident compensation for lung cancer about 10 million won each, without requiring a civil suit. It cited a Seoul Central District Court ruling in September that went against other regional education offices. The office also plans ventilation upgrades and other safety measures in school kitchens.
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The Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education said on 22 October that it will pay school meal workers who have been approved for industrial-accident compensation for lung cancer an amount equivalent to damages, without requiring them to bring a separate civil lawsuit. Yonhap and Newsis reported the figure as 10 million won per person. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The office said the plan is meant to reduce the burden of lengthy litigation and help with treatment and a return to daily life, according to Seoul Economic Daily and Yonhap. Eligible recipients are school meal workers in Gyeonggi who have industrial-accident approval for lung cancer. Yonhap reported that 24 workers in the province were approved from 2022 to 2025. [ 1 , 2 ]
The office pointed to a ruling by the Seoul Central District Court. According to the reports, on 8 September the court partly upheld a damages suit by nine cooks who worked at least 12 years in school kitchens and were later approved for industrial-accident compensation for lung cancer. Seoul Economic Daily said the court found ventilation for cooking fumes insufficient and preventive safety measures lacking, and ordered the Gwangju, Jeonnam, Busan and Gyeongbuk education offices to pay 10 million won per plaintiff. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Newsis described the suit differently, saying the cooks sued the state and four local governments, that the court ordered the local governments to pay and that it dismissed the claim against the state. Newsis said the cooks argued the authorities had not provided proper ventilation or protective equipment. [ 3 ]
The Gyeonggi office said the ruling concerned other regions, but it wanted to spare workers in the province from fighting similar cases and to avoid wasted administrative effort. Seoul Economic Daily and Newsis said it plans a supplementary budget to fund the payments. Yonhap said the office will confirm recipients and amounts after legal review and aims to pay within the year if possible. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The office also plans safety measures: improving kitchen ventilation by priority based on risk, age of facilities and urgency, modernising cooking environments to reduce fumes, expanding protective equipment and safety training, and continuing lung-cancer screening with follow-up care for workers with abnormal findings. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Superintendent Ahn Min-seok was quoted by Seoul Economic Daily as saying the education office should step forward first so that workers who fell ill while dedicating themselves to school meals are not made to suffer again in legal disputes. He said the office would take responsibility for creating a safe working environment. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
The plan would spare Gyeonggi school meal workers with work-related lung cancer from separate court cases. According to the documents, the office also intends to improve kitchen ventilation and health checks, but payment details still depend on legal review and budgeting.
Key facts
- The Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education announced on 22 October that it will pay industrial-accident-approved lung cancer cases among school meal workers about 10 million won per person without a separate civil lawsuit. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The decision followed a Seoul Central District Court ruling on 8 September in a suit by nine cooks who had worked 12 or more years in school kitchens and were approved for industrial-accident compensation for lung cancer. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The court ordered 10 million won per plaintiff, citing inadequate ventilation and insufficient preventive safety measures. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Yonhap reported that 24 Gyeonggi school meal workers were approved for industrial-accident compensation for lung cancer from 2022 to 2025. [ 2 ]
- The office plans to cover the cost through a supplementary budget, according to Seoul Economic Daily and Newsis. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The office also plans ventilation upgrades, cooking-fume reduction, protective equipment, safety training, lung-cancer screening and follow-up care for workers with abnormal findings. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education said it will pay school meal workers approved for industrial-accident compensation for lung cancer about 10 million won each, without a separate civil suit. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The Seoul Central District Court ruled in September in favour of nine cooks in part and ordered 10 million won per plaintiff. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The office will strengthen kitchen safety measures, including ventilation improvements, cooking-fume reduction, protective equipment, safety training and lung-cancer screening with follow-up care. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- When the payments will be made. Only Yonhap reports that the office will fix recipients and amounts after legal review and aims to pay within the year if possible; the other documents give no date.
- Who the nine cooks sued. Seoul Economic Daily and Yonhap describe liability of the Gwangju, Jeonnam, Busan and Gyeongbuk education offices, while Newsis says the suit named the state and four local governments, with the claim against the state dismissed.
- How the money will be raised. Seoul Economic Daily and Newsis say a supplementary budget is planned; Yonhap does not mention funding.