Lee Hae-rin is a City Desk reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues, tourism and taekwondo. She is passionate about speaking up for the rights of minorities, including women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and animals as well as discovering the latest makgeolli trend in town. Feel free to reach her at lhr@koreatimes.co.kr.
Scorching heat prompts Korean offices to embrace shorts
Incheon International Airport Corp. workers enjoy free drinks at the company coffee shop, a perk earned by participating in a "shorts challenge" to encourage more casual office wear, July 14. Courtesy of Incheon International Airport Corp.
By Lee Hae-rin
As the country swelters under an unprecedented summer heat wave, companies and government agencies are loosening dress codes, encouraging shorter pants and lighter clothing.
Known as “Cool Biz” — a blend of “cool” and “business” — the initiative began as a modest effort to lighten office attire in hopes of improving comfort and cutting air-conditioning costs. Now, amid record-breaking heat, the once-unorthodox campaign is gaining ground even within Korea’s traditionally conservative conglomerates and government offices.
At Incheon International Airport Corp., the country’s largest airport operator, a six-week campaign launched July 14 encourages employees to wear shorts to work — with free drinks at an in-house cafe offered as rewards for individuals or teams who take part in the “shorts challenge.” The initiative runs through Aug. 22.
The company says the campaign is about more than just beating the heat — it’s also an effort to soften hierarchical boundaries, foster intergenerational dialogue and promote a more open and inclusive corporate culture.
Korea “feels like a tropical country these days with such high humidity and high temperatures,” Kim, a 52-year-old airport official who has been wearing shorts nearly every day since the campaign’s launch, said Wednesday.
“Wearing shorts makes everything more breathable and comfortable, especially when I’m on the move. I definitely feel more productive,” he said.
Other public- and private-sector organizations are following suit, similarly relaxing dress codes as the heat shows no signs of easing.
The Korea Electrical Safety Corp. announced Tuesday that it, too, will launch a “shorts to work” campaign, running through September and open to all employees — from the president to new hires. The policy, however, comes with guidelines to ensure a degree of formality and applies exclusively to office-based staff.
Seoul’s Gangdong District Office also relaxed its dress code through September, citing the need to safeguard employees’ health and improve workplace efficiency. Officials not engaged in public-facing duties or formal events are now permitted to wear shorts and sandals.
Employees of Seoul's Gangdong District Office work in shorts in response to a heat wave gripping the country in this provided undated photo. Courtesy of Gangdong District Office
Major conglomerates — including Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor, and LG — have also embraced similar policies in recent years, gradually loosening dress codes as part of broader efforts to modernize workplace culture and adapt to extreme weather.
Notably, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries — long emblematic of Korea’s rigid corporate culture — authorized shorts and sandals at its Ulsan shipyard this year for the first time since its founding in 1972. Company representatives called the move a symbolic step toward modernizing a traditionally strict work environment.
This shift is not just about fashion. Korea’s record-hot summer has driven up heat-related illnesses among workers, reigniting calls for companies and governments to find energy-saving ways to protect employee health.
Government campaigns are now urging public and private employers to ease dress codes during the summer months, aligning comfort initiatives with the broader goal of cutting national greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030. Reducing energy use in office buildings is seen as a key component of this strategy.
While the trend mirrors established practices in neighboring Japan and Southeast Asia, Korea continues to grapple with tensions between comfort and professionalism. Shorts remain taboo in many conservative workplaces, and formal attire is still mandatory for certain official events.
On Blind, a popular anonymous app for workplace communities in Korea, users expressed a mix of hope and skepticism about the introduction of Cool Biz policies.
“How short can office shorts be? Is this too short?” a user wrote with a photo of over-the-knee shorts. Others replied, “That’s just like what I wore to work today,” “I think it should be acceptable, but in reality, your colleagues might comment,” and “You’re lucky; shorts aren’t allowed at my office.”