Incheon school cafeteria workers win lung cancer compensation ruling

A South Korean court has ruled that local governments are liable for damages to school cafeteria workers diagnosed with lung cancer, recognizing a link between their work and the disease. While a claim against the state was dismissed, the Seoul Central District Court ordered local governments to pay 10 million won per affected worker.

Since 2021, 11 cafeteria workers in Incheon have been diagnosed with lung cancer. Labor advocates attribute the illnesses to inadequate ventilation systems that fail to remove ‘cooking fumes,’ substances classified as potential carcinogens by the World Health Organization.

Incheon school workers face a higher workload than the national average, with approximately 98 students per worker, compared to the national average of 82.6. The Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education reported that while 61.4% of the 474 schools requiring improvements have been addressed, some facilities have failed subsequent inspections. The Office of Education stated it aims to complete all necessary improvements by the winter break of 2028.