Costco Korea under heavy scrutiny over cart pusher’s death

Costco has come under heavy scrutiny after a 29-year-old cart pusher at one of its outlets near Seoul died after working in scorching heat in June, for which South Korea’s labor ministry is investigating any violation of new laws to protect employees against poor working conditions.

The cart worker, Kim Dong-ho, reportedly was found collapsed at 7 p.m. local time on June 19 during his shift at the parking garage of a Costco outlet in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province, 20 km east of Seoul.

Kim was moved to a nearby general hospital, but died two hours later due to a pulmonary embolism and excessive dehydration from the heat, according to the medical certificate of his death.

On the day of his death, the city of Hanam, where the Costco store is located, was the hottest area in South Korea, with its temperature soaring to 35.8 degrees Celcius, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.

Kim’s death came two days after the country issued its first heat wave warning this year.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor is investigating the case, in accordance with the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, which came into effect in 2022.

Under the law, a company’s chief manager could be sent to prison if a serious worksite accident occurs where the company has not taken sufficient safety precautions.

“If (Costco) is found to violate the laws, please take stern action,” Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jung-sik was quoted as saying in a recent meeting with senior local government officials in Gyeonggi Province.

ON HIGH ALERT

Kim’s unexpected death raised the alert to industrial accidents as the country is simmering under a scorching heat wave, with a heat index of over 30 degrees Celsius.

Retail chains such as Lotte Mart ban employees from working outdoors between 2 and 5 p.m. when the sensory temperature tops 35 degrees Celcius, or when a heat wave warning is issued.

A Korean logistics company official said it is considering expanding its air cooling system after installing a number of portable air conditioners last year.

According to occupational and health standards, employers must provide a shaded place to use during breaks and clean drinking water for outdoor workers.

LG Chem Ltd., battery maker LG Energy Solution Ltd. and steelmaker POSCO Holdings Inc. allow their employees to extend break times, or cut working hours during a heat wave.

Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp. stopped their production lines this week in the height of the summer heat.

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co., Hanwha Ocean Co. and Samsung Heavy Industries Co. have ceased operations since the end of last month. They will resume work later this week.

PUBLIC BACKLASH

Kim Gil-sung, the father of the deceased Costco cart worker, told an MBC radio show on Monday that two days before his son died, he was exhausted upon returning home, saying he walked up to 43,000 steps to organize carts on that day.

June 17 was the second hottest day of the month in the country.

Adding fuel to the fire, alleged remarks by a senior Costco Korea manager during Kim’s funeral have sparked a public backlash against the US-based retailer.

The senior Kim said in domestic TV and radio interviews that a Costco’s representative and some of its employees in the country came to the funeral and asked if his son had concealed any chronic illnesses when applying for the job at Costco.

He refuted the inference, saying his son’s medical checkup showed he was in good health before being assigned to Costco’s parking lot.

Also, he argued his son could not leave early from work on the day of his death because of concerns about his colleagues’ heavy workload in his absence.

Kim’s family has filed a petition with Costco headquarters in Washington state, calling for releasing CCTV footage of his son’s workplace.

Costco Korea runs 16 outlets across the country.

The Korea Economic Daily tried to reach Costco Korea for comment on the cart worker’s death, but could not reach anyone.

Write to Yong-Hee Kwak, Eun-Ji Shim and Mi-Kyoung Lee at khy@hankyung.com

Yeonhee Kim edited this article.