"Couldn't Sleep at All, So Exhausted" Delivery Worker Dies Again... Union Says "Death from Overwork" vs Hanjin Delivery Claims "Preexisting Condition"

On the 18th, officials were seen sorting parcels at a courier center in Seoul. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Yeon-ju] Amid the surge in parcel delivery volumes due to the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), overwork-related deaths among delivery workers have been occurring one after another. On the 12th, it was belatedly revealed that another delivery worker had passed away.

According to multiple media outlets on the 18th, Kim Mo (36), a delivery worker employed at Hanjin Express's Dongdaemun branch in Seoul, was found dead at his home on the 12th. The bereaved family and the labor union regard Kim's death as an overwork-related death. They claim that, like other delivery workers who died from overwork, Kim died from cardiovascular disease, and that during his lifetime, he delivered about 400 packages a day and was forced to work late into the night.

According to information disclosed by the Delivery Workers Overwork Death Countermeasures Committee on that day, the deceased sent a KakaoTalk message to a colleague at 4:28 a.m. on the 8th, stating, "I took out 420 (packages) today and am now going home. If I get home, it will be 5 o'clock, then I will eat and wash up quickly and go straight to the terminal, so I won't get any sleep and will have to sort packages again at the terminal. I'm really exhausted."

He also expressed fatigue, saying, "Can't I refuse the 16th block (volume)? I got home at 2 a.m. yesterday as well."

Messenger of Hanjin Delivery courier Kim, released on the 18th by the Delivery Workers Overwork Death Countermeasures Committee. Photo by Delivery Workers Overwork Death Countermeasures Committee

However, the company believes that Kim died due to a pre-existing illness. Hanjin Express stated, "According to the National Forensic Service autopsy results, the deceased was determined to have died from a pre-existing illness. The deceased was responsible for about 200 packages, which is slightly lower than other delivery workers."

Meanwhile, this year, delivery workers have been reported to have died one after another from causes presumed to be overwork-related deaths. On the 8th, a worker in his 40s who worked as a delivery worker for CJ Logistics died after complaining of breathing difficulties while performing delivery duties. Then, on the 12th, a day laborer in his 20s working at Coupang's logistics center in Chilgok, Gyeongbuk, died after work while sorting packages.

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