# South Korean school cafeteria worker lung cancer litigation > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/south-korean-school-cafeteria-worker-lung-cancer-litigation > Updated: 2026-10-22T00:37:00.000Z. Sources: 3. Developments: 2. A legal and administrative shift has occurred regarding occupational lung cancer among school cafeteria workers in South Korea. Following a ruling by the Seoul Central District Court, local governments were held liable for damages, with the court ordering payments of 10 million won per affected worker. The court recognized a link between the disease and inadequate ventilation systems that failed to remove ‘cooking fumes.’ In response to this judicial precedent, the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education announced plans to proactively provide 10 million won to workers officially recognized with industrial accident compensation. This move is intended to bypass lengthy civil litigation and facilitate rapid medical treatment. Beyond financial aid, the office aims to strengthen safety management by upgrading ventilation, modernizing cooking environments, enhancing safety training, and providing regular health screenings. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-22: Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education to compensate school cafeteria workers for lung cancer The Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education will proactively pay 10 million won to school cafeteria workers approved for lung cancer industrial accidents to avoid lengthy lawsuits. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gyeonggi-provincial-office-of-education-to-compensate-school-cafeteria-workers-for-lung-cancer ### 2026-09-28: Incheon school cafeteria workers win lung cancer compensation ruling A South Korean court ruled that local governments must compensate Incheon school cafeteria workers for lung cancer linked to occupational exposure to cooking fumes and inadequate ventilation. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/incheon-school-cafeteria-workers-win-lung-cancer-compensation-ruling --- Cite as: South Korean school cafeteria worker lung cancer litigation. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/south-korean-school-cafeteria-worker-lung-cancer-litigation