Meeting with the Environment and Labor Committee on Urgent Measures for Delivery Workers... Discussion on Legal and Institutional Improvements

Emergency Meeting Scheduled for the Afternoon of the 17th
Aiming to Pass the Living Logistics Act and Industrial Accident Insurance Act Within the Year
Lee Nak-yeon: "Pass Within the Session"... Joo Ho-young: "Best Effort for Legislation"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Members of the Democratic Party of Korea belonging to the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee will hold an emergency meeting on the 17th to devise measures against overwork deaths of delivery workers. This meeting is arranged to improve laws and systems at the National Assembly level amid a situation where 15 delivery workers are estimated to have died from overwork this year alone. Since both ruling and opposition parties have formed a consensus on solving the delivery workers' issues, attention is focused on whether related bills can be processed within the regular session of the National Assembly.

According to the office of Ahn Ho-young, the Democratic Party member and secretary of the Environment and Labor Committee, all ruling party members of the committee are expected to attend this emergency meeting. The Democratic Party aims to pass the Act on the Development of the Living Logistics Service Industry (Living Logistics Act) and the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act (Industrial Accident Insurance Act) amendments to protect delivery workers within this year.

The Living Logistics Act, proposed by Democratic Party member Park Hong-geun, is currently pending in the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee. This bill includes provisions such as ▲establishing grounds for standard contracts and service terms ▲joint liability for damages by delivery companies and agencies ▲guaranteeing the right to request renewal of delivery service transportation consignment contracts ▲ensuring rest and expanding safety facilities. Earlier, Minister Kim Hyun-mi of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport emphasized at last month's audit, "The Living Logistics Act must be passed first," adding, "The main issue is how to view the sorting of delivery items and who should bear the burden. We will resolve the standard contract issues accordingly."

The Environment and Labor Committee is focusing on the system allowing special-type workers (special employment types, or "teukso") to apply for exclusion from industrial accident insurance coverage. Weight is given to the "National Industrial Accident Insurance Act" proposed by Democratic Party Supreme Council member Roh Woong-rae. The core of this bill is to limit special-type workers' applications for exclusion from industrial accident insurance coverage to cases such as workers' childcare or illness, or when the employer is responsible for business suspension of one month or longer. Essentially, it abolishes the system that effectively forces delivery workers to apply for exclusion from industrial accident insurance coverage.

Supreme Council member Roh said, "The goal is for all citizens to be covered by industrial accident insurance and work with peace of mind," adding, "We will make efforts at the party level to ensure the bill passes within this year so that no more workers die unfairly while working." The bill was proposed with the participation of all Democratic Party members of the Environment and Labor Committee, including Song Ok-joo, Ahn Ho-young, Yang Yi-won-young, Yoon Mi-hyang, Yoon Jun-byeong, Lee Soo-jin, Lim Jong-seong, and Jang Cheol-min.

Both ruling and opposition parties are united in addressing the delivery workers' issues. Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon promised at a field meeting held on the 27th of last month at Hanjin Delivery in Mapo-gu, Seoul, "Since almost all contents of the Living Logistics Act have been adjusted, it will be processed within the session." On the 30th of last month, People Power Party floor leader Joo Ho-young invited special employment workers engaged in delivery and courier services to the National Assembly and said, "As we have declared solidarity with the vulnerable, we will do our best to propose reasonable alternatives to protect platform workers and promptly legislate to prevent unfortunate accidents and deaths."

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