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Busan Metropolitan City to Operate 24-Hour Convenience Store Rest Areas for Mobile Workers During Extreme Heat

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□ Busan Metropolitan City, led by Mayor Chun Jae-soo, announced that it will fully operate Convenience Store Rest Areas for Mobile Workers for two months, from August 1 to September 30, to protect the rights to health and rest of mobile and platform workers, including delivery riders who work outdoors for extended periods during extreme heat.

□ The initiative will use private-sector infrastructure at convenience stores to provide 24-hour rest spaces that mobile workers vulnerable to extreme heat in high-temperature urban environments can access easily at any time. The program will be implemented in cooperation with BGF Retail, the operator of CU convenience stores, and Woowa Youths, the operator of Baemin.

○ To address the accessibility limitations of the existing seven mobile worker support centers and rest areas, which operate primarily as fixed hubs, the city has designated and begun operating a total of 48 CU convenience stores as rest areas. At least three stores have been selected in each of Busan’s 16 districts and counties, substantially improving accessibility. The city plans to gradually expand the number of participating stores.

□ Each Convenience Store Rest Area for Mobile Workers will display an official designation plaque and provide support for food and beverages.

○ To reduce the burden on participating convenience stores and encourage active participation, the city will provide each designated store with ten 50-liter pay-as-you-throw waste bags every month.

○ Information will also be provided through the Baemin Connect delivery platform and the Kakao Channel of the mobile worker support centers, allowing users to easily find the nearest rest area based on their current location.

□ Mobile and platform workers using the rest areas may present their platform app screen at the convenience store to verify their eligibility and receive bottled water, beverages, snacks, or other food and drinks worth up to KRW 2,000.

○ Alcohol, tobacco products, and daily necessities are excluded from the program. Any amount exceeding KRW 2,000 must be paid by the user.

○ After consenting to the collection of personal information and completing a usage log containing details such as their name, occupation, and contact information, users may receive food and beverages worth KRW 2,000 once per day. The support will continue until the allocated budget is exhausted.

□ In addition to operating the convenience store rest areas, the city is implementing special measures to protect outdoor workers exposed to extreme heat.

○ The seven mobile worker support centers and rest areas are distributing approximately 23,000 hot-weather safety items, including ice water, cooling sleeves, and neck coolers. Rest areas have also been established at the labor counseling center in the Labor Welfare Center and the Yeonje Labor Support Counseling Center, where bottled water and snacks are provided.

○ The city proactively identified 22 workplaces vulnerable to extreme heat and supported the purchase of heat-related illness prevention equipment, including portable air conditioners. From July 29 to August 5, the city is also conducting intensive joint inspections with the Busan Regional Employment and Labor Administration to assess compliance with the Five Basic Rules for Extreme Heat Safety at private-sector workplaces in industries such as construction and manufacturing.

□ From August 10 to 15, the city will conduct special inspections at construction sites and project sites commissioned by the city and its districts and counties. The inspections will be carried out by the Labor Safety and Health Monitoring Team, which consists of private-sector experts.

○ During August, customized cooling kits worth approximately KRW 30,000 per person will be provided to about 1,700 employees of subcontractors working for seven major shipbuilding contractors in the region, including HJ Heavy Industries. Each kit will contain items such as cooling sleeves and pocket ice packs.

□ Mayor Chun Jae-soo said, “We will implement a wide range of extreme heat measures for outdoor workers without disruption, including the establishment of easily accessible, 24-hour convenience store rest areas.”

He added, “We will make every effort to improve working conditions at job sites so that all workers exposed to extreme heat can stay safe and healthy throughout the summer.”