25.07.08.Today News : Vietnamese Worker Dies from Suspected Heatstroke on First Day at Gumi Construction Site

Vietnamese Worker Dies from Suspected Heatstroke on First Day at Gumi Construction Site

• 23-year-old found dead after collapsing during extreme heat; authorities investigate safety violations

A Vietnamese worker in his 20s died on his first day at a construction site in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, likely due to heat-related illness during a severe heatwave. The incident has prompted a full investigation into safety management by labor authorities.

A foreign worker in his 20s, a Vietnamese national, died in the heat on his first day of work at an apartment construction project in Gumi, Gyeongbuk.

According to the Gumi Police Station and North Gyeongsang Fire Headquarters on June 8, a 23-year-old Vietnamese national, identified as A, was found collapsed and unresponsive on the first basement level of an apartment construction site in Gumi at around 4:40 p.m. the previous day.

Emergency responders confirmed his death at the scene. At the time of discovery, his body temperature was measured at 40.2°C. The daytime high in Gumi that day reached 37.2°C, with a heatwave warning in effect since late June.

Authorities suspect heatstroke as the cause of death. A had been working on form installation and had told coworkers he was going to the restroom shortly before he went missing. He was later found sitting lifeless on the site.

This was A's first day on the job. Police are also checking whether he had any underlying health conditions and have requested an autopsy to confirm the cause of death. Investigators are looking into whether the site’s operator may be liable for occupational negligence.

Following the incident, the Gumi branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor ordered a complete suspension of operations at the site and began a thorough inspection of its heat-related safety measures.

The Daegu Regional Office of the Ministry is examining possible violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, with an emphasis on whether adequate safety protocols for heatwave conditions were implemented.

The tragic case underscores the urgent need to protect vulnerable workers, especially foreign laborers, from extreme weather hazards. Government agencies are expected to strengthen inspections and push for institutional reforms to prevent similar incidents in the future.

One-line summary : A 23-year-old Vietnamese worker was found dead from suspected heatstroke on his first day at a construction site in Gumi.