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Perilous Return to Homeland: The Experiences among Dispatched
 Workers for International Development Cooperation during the COVID-19
 Outbreak

The purpose of this study is to obtain the implications of the management of dispatched workers during the COVID-19 outbreak. The study explores, via in-depth interviews, the experiences of 10 dispatched workers who worked in developing countries and inevitably returned to Korea due to COVID-19. Its contents have been analyzed with the help of the grounded theory methodology. A majority of the study participants experienced psychological defense when recognizing the possibility of returning to Korea. However, the deciding factors in its acceptance were the incidence of confirmed cases in the dispatched country, worsening local conditions, and the response guidelines of governments and affiliated organizations focusing on ‘safety first’. After returning to Korea, the participants commonly experienced work overload, inefficient communication, role conflict, and ambiguity in work places. The participants’ delayed return to their original work-site in the developing country affected them through the experience of negative perceptions and feelings, particularly due to the uncertainty of personal life and career. However, even in such a situation, various efforts toward positive adjustments in their current work and personal life were found. Throughout this entire process of returning home in the current situation, empathetic communication played a key role in the acceptance of and adjustment to the current situation.