"Bullet Delivery, Now Feeling Guilty" Citizens Opting Out of Courier Services

Logistics Center Fires, Repeated Deaths from Overwork Highlight Delivery Industry Labor Conditions
Boycotts of Specific Companies Gain Momentum on SNS and Online Communities
"Reluctant to Use Delivery," "People Must Be Saved," Citizens Express Guilt
Experts Urge Transport Companies to Actively Improve Parcel Delivery Industry Labor Conditions

On January 29th, delivery workers are sorting packages at the Seoul Southeast Logistics Complex in Songpa-gu, Seoul. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] #Kim (28), who usually received groceries and kitchen appliances via delivery, canceled his paid membership subscription on the 19th. Kim explained, "I was used to ordering delivery before going to work and receiving it in the evening, so I hesitated a bit about canceling," but added, "I thought there was no need to overwork delivery workers just for my own convenience."

Following the fire at Coupang Deokpyeong Logistics Center and the consecutive overwork deaths of delivery workers, awareness of the harsh working conditions in the logistics and distribution industry has increased, leading more consumers to avoid using delivery services. On social networking services (SNS) and internet communities, posts declaring boycotts of specific delivery companies have flooded in. While these consumers acknowledge that express delivery services have made life more convenient, they also express difficulty in ignoring the workers' overwork and facility safety issues. Experts emphasize the importance of self-regulation efforts by distribution companies that employ these workers.

Earlier, on the 17th, a fire broke out at the Deokpyeong Logistics Center in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, and Kim Dongsik, a 119 rescue team leader from Gwangju Fire Station, Gyeonggi, who was missing at the scene, was ultimately found dead. At the time, Kim entered the burning building's basement level 2 with colleagues to search for survivors. However, various piled-up materials in the warehouse collapsed, isolating him alone, and he was found deceased around 12:10 PM two days later on the 19th.

According to police and fire authorities' investigations, the fire is presumed to have started from a multi-tap connected to a fan. On hot summer days, the heat accumulated in the enclosed space without air conditioning, making the fire risk inevitably high. Additionally, suspicions arose that the sprinkler system did not function properly immediately after the fire, prompting the police to launch an investigation.

The Coupang Deokpyeong Logistics Center in Majang-myeon, Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, where a fire broke out on the 17th, was left with only its framework visible on the 19th. / Photo by Yonhap News

Given these circumstances, citizens are expressing outrage. They argue that the poor working conditions inside logistics centers and inadequate facility safety cannot be overlooked. On SNS platforms like Twitter, posts tagged with '#CoupangWithdrawal' exceeded approximately 170,000 by the 20th.

This is not the first time controversy has erupted over delivery workers' working conditions. Cases of workers succumbing to overwork and exhaustion continue unabated.

According to data from the 'Delivery Workers Overwork Death Countermeasure Committee' (Countermeasure Committee), 16 delivery workers died from overwork last year alone.

The committee states that a major cause of overwork is the rapidly spreading 'express delivery service' in the delivery industry. This service delivers items ordered on the same day by the next afternoon at the latest, requiring workers to complete sorting, packing, delivery, and preparation within a single day. Consequently, workers are often forced to work late-night and early-morning shifts.

On the 15th, about 4,000 members of the National Delivery Workers Union gathered at Yeouido Park in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, holding a large-scale rally demanding measures to prevent worker overwork deaths.

On the morning of the 16th, members of the National Courier Workers' Union held a rally at Yeouido Park in Seoul, demanding measures against death from overwork and urging the implementation of social agreements. / Photo by Yonhap News

Citizens say they hesitate to comfortably use delivery services amid ongoing issues of worker overwork and safety.

A 20-something office worker A, who ordered evening groceries for same-day delivery in the morning, said, "Delivery has made life easier, but after seeing news about fresh goods delivery workers suffering from overwork without rest in freezing warehouses, I hesitate to press the order button out of guilt. But I can't just give up leisure time and go to the market myself like before," expressing frustration.

Another office worker B (33) said, "Even if it means paying extra, I hope the workers' working conditions improve," and pointed out, "At the very least, we should prevent people from dying."

Meanwhile, the 'Social Agreement Organization for Delivery Workers' Overwork Death Countermeasures,' formed by the government, ruling party, delivery labor and management, and consumer groups, reached a tentative agreement on the 16th on a mediation plan to prevent delivery workers' overwork deaths.

Since the tentative agreement is not a final conclusion, the exact contents have not been disclosed, but it reportedly includes measures such as completely excluding delivery workers from sorting tasks starting January 1 next year and limiting their working hours to no more than 60 hours per week to prevent overwork.

Experts emphasize that efforts by distribution companies employing the workers are crucial to solving the overwork problem.

Professor Eunhee Lee of Inha University's Department of Consumer Studies said, "If the issue of delivery workers' overwork deaths continues without improvement and worsens, it could negatively affect distribution companies and workers as well, because consumer boycotts could become widespread," she pointed out.

She added, "Distribution companies themselves need to actively strive to improve workers' working conditions before the problem becomes more serious."

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