Worker's death after 3-straight company drinking sessions ruled work-related
The Seoul Administrative Court recently ruled in favor of the bereaved family of a worker who died from acute alcohol intoxication after attending consecutive company gatherings. The family had filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service's decision to deny survivor benefits and funeral expenses.
The worker, who was in charge of sales management, was found dead in his car in the parking lot of his home at dawn on July 2, 2022. An autopsy determined the cause of death was acute alcohol intoxication from consuming a large amount of alcohol over a short period.
It was confirmed that he drank on three consecutive nights from June 29 to July 1 at company events. On June 29, he attended a dinner with a client. The following day, he joined a gathering organized by a senior executive to promote camaraderie among employees. On July 1, he attended a dinner welcoming two newly hired foreign workers assigned to an overseas office. That night's expenses were more than 1 million won, exceeding typical company spending, and the participants split the cost.
The key legal issue was whether the final gathering constituted a work-related event. The workers' compensation agency argued that it was not an official company event and that the sharing of costs by the participants indicated it was a private occasion.
However, the court ruled otherwise, citing the nature of the relationship between the worker and the foreign hires, which required close cooperation. The court also noted that the worker was scheduled for a six-month overseas assignment and needed support from the newcomers.
'The drinking session likely had a strong work-related context, as it was held with the foreign workers to welcome his upcoming assignment abroad,' the ruling stated. 'It would have been difficult for him to refuse drinks under the circumstances, and the cost of 1 million won was excessive for a purely personal gathering.'
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