Korea Democratic office miserable as the cold

Although working primarily in the kitchen of a luxury hotel in Seoul, Sang-Won Byun chef is always cold and continuous cry mouth travel to warm people, the state arms and clenched teeth.

A worker must wear gloves to fight malaria in the office in Korea.

"I can not imagine the scene to work without wearing underwear and use additional packs, because the kitchen and hallways too cold," the 26-year-old chef shares with AFP .

Meanwhile, thousands of South Koreans also feel cold as Byun chef. The cold days in January with average temperatures down to about -6 to -7 degrees C, sometimes down to -15 degrees is normal in Korea, but this winter will be a round of "hard work" with the office people.

Worried about the lack of electricity after a power failure in shock in September last year, the Korean government has asked 19,000 employees in government offices to keep the room temperature below 18 degrees C. Private buildings, including office, nor to high temperatures exceeding 20 degrees C from 5 / 12 last year to 29 / 2. Violators could face punishment from 500,000 won (433 USD) to 3 million won.

"Many people complain that work in cold environments is so uncomfortable, but we had no other. The recent changes in energy use patterns have led to instability of electricity demand, while the construction of power plants increasingly difficult, "Kim Jeong-Dae, an official of the Ministry of Knowledge Economy said South Korea.

Ministry officials regularly to the private office, the state and use the thermometer in the room temperature examination. Therefore, in the cold cut meat cutting skin, workers should wear layers of clothes and use blankets to wrap pack and Warm day at the office.

"People do still wear a jacket, scarf scarf and gloves, because the office is too cold," said Lee Hae-Woo (24), an assistant director at the state broadcaster said South Korea . "We can not increase the prescribed temperature for a regular temperature checks. It is the policy of the government so we can not do anything. "

Byun chef revealed his colleagues have even wrapped a blanket, pack up the bags to withstand the cold."Reducing energy use is good, but should not be too cold to work, because work efficiency will be reduced," he Byun told AFP . "The situation is worse when our customers complain and talk about 'right to be warm' in the lobby and restaurant, but we also spent bear."

However, this is an excellent business opportunity for stores to keep warm. Since early December last year, two companies are selling online shop GS & D shop and sold over 16,000 sets of underwear to keep warm, in less than a month. This number doubled to unusually cold winter in 2010-2011. Sales of goods and blankets as well pack up more than 20%.

"Staff are the best buy, because the room temperature is too low, the level is called 'a cold train" them ", a sales company to comment.

The cause of the anxiety stems from lack of electricity round warm weather in September unusual year, causing many plants temporarily shut down to conduct maintenance. Due to the low power reserves to dangerous levels, the Korean authorities to conduct rotating power cuts lasting for several hours, affecting 2.1 million households and other establishments.

In November, when winter begins to, the Korean government has announced measures to save energy in winter. President Lee Myung-Bak also calls for the implementation model, and recommended they should wear underwear thicker to withstand the cold. Officials also asked people to limit advertising on the lamps, although the large TV screens are scattered in the capital Seoul is enabled.

The woman scolded because of the cold in Seoul, Korea on 11 / 1.

Before Korea, Japan neighboring countries have also made similar measures to reduce the risk of losing power after the tsunami disaster and nuclear Fukushima, including measures to restrict the use of air conditioning in summer by. With the majority of nuclear reactors pause to examine, Japan also called on businesses and households reduce energy consumption this winter.

Unlike Japan, analysts said that energy issues arise because the Korean government does not collect the actual price of electricity from consumers. Electricity prices in South Korea today is less than 2 times higher than in England. Meanwhile, critics of the policies that save energy, to limit temperature rise in the office is counterproductive, because people will hide a small fan heater under the desk to combat malaria. But despite the complaints, the Korean government is expected to continue saving policies in the winter in the near future.

"Until now, people have accepted the policy without much problem, and therefore, we do not suffer severe power shortages," an official of the Ministry of Knowledge Economy said South Korea. "It took 10 years to build a nuclear power plant and take at least five years to build a factory liquefied natural gas. Therefore, we must strive to reduce power consumption rather than increasing the power supply. "