"Pause Movement? What About Delivery Workers?" Delivery Workers' Deepening Sighs

Government Proposes 'Social Distancing' to Minimize COVID-19 Infection by Avoiding Contact with Others
Delivery Industry Faces Surge in Orders Due to COVID-19 Crisis
Sharp Increase in Transactions of Daily Necessities like Rice, Bottled Water, Ramen, and Instant Rice
Calls for Government Response Measures Considering Work Characteristics

Around 6 a.m. on the 4th, parcels and packages were piled up at the Daegu Postal Sorting Center in Sangyeok-dong, Buk-gu, Daegu. A representative from the postal sorting center stated, "Despite it being the off-season recently due to the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the volume has increased to holiday levels."
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] As the government proposed a 'Pause for a Moment' campaign to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), concerns have been raised that delivery workers are left defenseless against the risk of COVID-19 infection. Some have also criticized the COVID-19 impact as being polarized.

As the COVID-19 situation spreads, political circles and academia have been suggesting 'social distancing,' which means temporarily stopping contact with others.

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon proposed a 'two-week pause' campaign to practice traffic control and refrain from going out to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

At a regular briefing on COVID-19 held at Seoul City Hall on the 2nd, Mayor Park said, "Considering that the incubation period of COVID-19 is two weeks, theoretically, if each individual practices perfect self-quarantine, infection can be completely blocked. However, strong control measures are neither possible nor desirable in a democratic society," proposing a voluntary campaign.

He then suggested △ refraining from going out △ communicating only through phone calls or social networking services (SNS) with acquaintances △ complying with personal hygiene rules such as wearing masks and washing hands.

Mayor Park explained, "To block the spread of COVID-19, we will conduct a large-scale citizen participation campaign on behavioral guidelines," and "We will also implement a campaign through public contests to share citizens' ideas and know-how that can be practiced in daily life for 'social distancing.'"

The purpose is to minimize situations where infection can occur through droplets and completely end the COVID-19 crisis.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

However, postal workers, delivery laborers, and courier drivers who cannot 'pause for a moment' are effectively exposed to the risk of COVID-19 infection. Especially with the surge in online orders due to the COVID-19 situation, delivery workers are suffering from both infection risks and excessive workloads.

According to the online shopping mall industry on the 1st, demand for hygiene products has surged sharply along with a significant increase in orders for daily necessities.

Gmarket reported that health and medical supplies surged by 864% over the past month (January 26 to February 25). Food increased by 36%, and daily necessities by 49%. Auction also saw a surge of 486% during the same period. Household and beauty appliances increased by 136%, food by 22%, and daily necessities by 39%.

11st also experienced a surge in hand sanitizer orders by 9,771% during a similar period. Orders for rice (355%), instant rice (242%), and bottled water (185%) also increased.

This is interpreted as a continuous increase in online orders as people refrain from going out due to the spread of COVID-19.

Given this situation, the hardships of delivery workers have also greatly increased. Workers have called for government measures that consider the nature of their work.

The Mart Industry Labor Union under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions held a press conference in front of the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 26th of last month, stating, "We usually deliver for 12 hours due to increased volume, but now we are delivering for an additional 1 to 2 hours or more," and pointed out, "There are voices on site saying they might collapse from overwork rather than COVID-19."

Criticism was also raised that they are directly exposed to the risk of COVID-19 infection. On the 27th of the same month, the Public Transport Workers' Union of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (Minnocho) and the Rider Union, a delivery workers' union, held a YouTube live press conference, stating, "Despite being constantly exposed to infection risk, there are no special preventive measures because they are classified as special employment workers," and "Masks for quarantine are not provided, and even if they try to buy them at their own expense, it is difficult to obtain."

They emphasized, "Due to the nature of the work involving contact with numerous people, if delivery and courier workers are exposed to the virus, it could lead to widespread community transmission."

On the 27th of last month, participants shouted slogans at a press conference demanding measures for the delivery and courier labor sector related to COVID-19, which was broadcast live on YouTube. Photo by Rider Union, YouTube capture.

Citizens expressed concern over delivery workers suffering from overwork or being defenselessly exposed to infection amid the COVID-19 spread.

A man in his 30s, office worker A, said, "Because of the COVID-19 issue, I refrain from going to marts and order daily necessities online, but delivery workers are outside all day, so their risk of infection seems higher." He added, "But I can't stop ordering deliveries, so I'm worried."

Another office worker B in his 30s said, "When ordering delivery, I ask them to leave the items at the door due to infection concerns," and added, "I worry about how the safety of delivery workers is guaranteed." He also pointed out, "Isn't the COVID-19 impact actually polarized? It's frustrating."

Delivery workers have called for government measures considering the nature of delivery work. Koo Gyo-heon, planning team leader of the Rider Union, said at a press conference, "Special employment workers are not considered workers under labor law, so they have no legal rights and are effectively excluded from government industrial safety and health measures," and "I hope the government and delivery intermediary platforms take more active steps to address the issue."

Choi Seung-mook, chairman of the National Postal Workers' Union, urged, "In the case of postal workers, although general mail and parcels can be delivered contactlessly, special deliveries from courts such as summons or certified mail must be delivered face-to-face," and called for, "Government offices and national institutions to take measures to expand contactless delivery."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.