[2020 National Audit] Environment and Labor Committee Urges Improvement of Working Conditions for Special Employment Workers Including Delivery Drivers

Nowungrae: "A Full Survey Is Needed Before Applying for Exclusion from Industrial Accident Insurance for Special Workers"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] On the 20th, members of the Democratic Party of Korea belonging to the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee urged improvements in the poor working conditions of special employment workers (teukgo), such as delivery drivers, during the national audit targeting the Ministry of Employment and Labor's affiliated agencies.

Democratic Party lawmaker Roh Woong-rae stated that the practice of special employment workers applying for exclusion from industrial accident insurance has become entrenched, and said, "If this is the current reality, a full investigation into the applications for exclusion from industrial accident insurance by special employment workers must be conducted."

Among special employment workers, 14 occupations including delivery drivers are subject to industrial accident insurance, but they can be excluded from coverage if they apply for it themselves. In many cases, pressure from employers is involved in this process. Recently, there was even suspicion of proxy writing on the application for exclusion from industrial accident insurance of a deceased CJ Logistics delivery driver.

Kang Soon-hee, Director of the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service, responded that the Ministry of Labor and the Service have begun an investigation into the current status of exclusion from industrial accident insurance for delivery drivers, and said, "After reviewing the results, we will plan and conduct investigations for the other occupations as well."

Lawmaker Roh also called for measures to address the reality that even if special employment workers are enrolled in industrial accident insurance, the approval rate for industrial accident claims due to accidents or illnesses is lower than that of regular workers. In response, Director Kang said, "I believe there are considerable parts that need to be revised and supplemented to suit special employment workers, including the (industrial accident) recognition criteria."

Democratic Party lawmaker Jang Cheol-min introduced the results of a survey targeting workers who load or unload packages onto or from vehicles at delivery logistics centers. Lawmaker Jang stated, "Although about 60% of the approximately 100 survey respondents said they had been injured, only one person received industrial accident approval. If the situation in an industry where many young people without jobs due to the COVID-19 crisis enter is like this, we definitely need to come up with some measures."

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