Today is 'Taekbae Eomneun Nal' (No Delivery Day)

Four Major Courier Companies Designate April 14 as 'Courier Refresh Day' for One Day

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yu Je-hoon] Major large courier companies suspended parcel delivery for the day. This is due to the courier industry designating the 14th as a 'Day Without Parcels.'

According to the logistics industry on the 14th, four companies?CJ Logistics, Hanjin Co., Ltd., Lotte Logistics, and Logen Courier?as well as the post office, designated the day as a 'Courier Refresh Day' and did not carry out parcel deliveries.

Over the past several years, as the parcel delivery market has rapidly grown, the issue of high-intensity labor among delivery workers has consistently been a point of concern. The Korea Transport Institute reported in 2018 that the average daily working hours of delivery workers were 12.75 hours, with an average of 25.6 working days per month.

In particular, recently, due to the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the expansion of 'contactless' culture, it is estimated that the labor intensity of delivery workers has increased further. According to data submitted by Rep. Yong Hye-in of the Basic Income Party from the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, nine delivery workers died from work-related causes in the first half of this year, seven of whom were recognized as industrial accident deaths due to overwork.

Accordingly, the Courier Committee of the Korea Integrated Logistics Association, in which major courier companies participate as members, designated this day as Courier Refresh Day. This reflects an industry consensus regarding the chronic high-intensity labor of delivery workers.

The Day Without Parcels is expected to become a regular event. The day before, the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced a 'Joint Declaration to Guarantee Rest for Courier Workers' with the Integrated Logistics Association and major courier companies, agreeing on ▲designating August 14 every year as 'Courier Rest Day' ▲refraining from nighttime deliveries to ensure sufficient rest time ▲supporting leave for courier workers in cases of illness or family events ▲and efforts to protect courier workers' health.

Meanwhile, independent delivery networks such as Coupang Rocket Delivery, SSG.com SSG Delivery, and Market Kurly Dawn Delivery, which are unrelated to major courier companies, remain operational as usual. Other large courier companies will resume parcel delivery from the 17th, but since they must also deliver the volume not delivered on the 14th due to the holiday, there is a possibility that deliveries may be delayed compared to usual.

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