Labor Sector Criticizes Foreign Worker Employment Legislation Notice on 'Parcel Loading and Unloading' as a "Stopgap Measure"

Three days before the Lunar New Year holiday, on the 8th of last month, courier packages were piled up at the Seoul Complex Logistics Center in Songpa-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] The labor sector has expressed that the government's move to amend laws to allow foreign workers to be employed in parcel loading and unloading classification tasks is a "stopgap measure."

On the 16th, a representative of the National Parcel Delivery Workers' Union stated, "(The government) should first improve the labor environment, which inevitably makes parcel loading and unloading work strenuous," adding, "Using foreign workers first without improving the labor environment is a 'stopgap measure.'" They continued, "This measure will not benefit the improvement of working conditions for parcel delivery workers."

The Ministry of Justice announced a legislative notice on partial amendments to the Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Control Act on the same day. Through this amendment, the scope is expected to expand to allow foreigners to be employed in logistics terminal operations, wholesale businesses of fruits and vegetables at agricultural product distribution centers, meat transportation, mining, and other sectors. However, in logistics terminal operations, only simple labor related to loading and unloading, commonly known as 'parcel loading and unloading,' will be permitted.

The government's allowance of foreign workers in parcel loading and unloading tasks aims to resolve the chronic labor shortage. Parcel loading and unloading work is a different field from the classification work that parcel companies had sharp conflicts with parcel delivery drivers over. It involves loading parcel boxes onto trucks at large logistics centers. Mainly, subcontractors of major parcel companies hire part-time workers for this task, which is known to have a high work intensity. In contrast, classification work involves parcel delivery drivers sorting the volume for their assigned regions at local sub-terminals and loading them onto vehicles.

The allowance of foreign employment in parcel loading and unloading tasks has been proposed since the parcel delivery strike in November last year. The Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) at that time suggested adding the parcel delivery industry to the sectors eligible for the Employment Permit System, which permits the employment of foreign workers. In response, the labor sector opposed, stating that improving the poor working conditions of parcel companies should come first. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport also opposed, citing reasons such as "reducing jobs for domestic workers."

The Ministry of Justice plans to revise the enforcement decree after the legislative notice period ends on April 26, followed by the State Council meeting and other procedures.

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