Deputy Commissioner of National Police Agency: "Determining Whether Delivery Workers Die from Overwork Is Not Within Police Jurisdiction"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Regarding the recent deaths of delivery workers, the police who conducted autopsies stated that "determining whether it was death from overwork is not within the police's jurisdiction."

On the 2nd, Police Deputy Commissioner Song Min-heon said at a press conference, "When an unnatural death occurs, the police request an autopsy from the National Forensic Service to determine whether it was homicide, suicide, or natural death," adding, "We want to make it clear that we (the police) are not the authorized agency to determine death from overwork."

Deputy Commissioner Song explained, "Death from overwork is a social term, not a legal one," and "According to relevant laws, the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service comprehensively assesses the intensity and conditions of work to make an authoritative judgment." He added, "When the police send the investigation results of unnatural deaths to the Welfare Service, the Service will comprehensively evaluate working hours and other factors to conclude whether it was death from overwork."

The police recently requested autopsies from the National Forensic Service for seven deceased delivery workers and have received responses for two cases. The cause of death for these two was determined to be 'disease.'

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