South Korea’s delivery workers are dying of ‘overwork’
More than a dozen couriers have died this year, some of whom had complained of workloads that kept them on the clock from dawn until past midnight. The deaths have caused a national uproar over their treatment.
Online orders have surged around the world, and demand for delivered goods in South Korea has grown by 30 percent. Packages are expected to arrive with bullet speed, and uninsured workers say that it is becoming impossible to keep up with the demand. As the pandemic rages on, couriers are working longer hours for less pay and fear that they will succumb to the mounting volume of work.
Context: President Moon Jae-in cut the maximum workweek to 52 hours from 68 in 2018 to ensure a work-life balance and a right to rest, after the country had one of the longest work weeks in the world. But couriers were left out of the deal. It has become common to see them weaving through apartment compounds at all hours.
On the ground: At a depot in southern Seoul, couriers recently started another grueling work day with a moment of silence to remember 15 fellow couriers who they say died this year from overwork. “We won’t be surprised here if one of us drops dead, too,” said Choi Ji-na, one of the couriers.
The New York Times