10,000 Additional Delivery Workers Deployed... Shipment Collection Restricted 3 Days Before Chuseok Holiday

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to Operate Special Parcel Delivery Management Period from the 6th for Chuseok Holiday
Minister Noh Hyung-wook Conducts Parcel Delivery Site Inspection 3 Days Before Chuseok Peak Season
Urges Strict Implementation of Social Agreement to Prevent Worker Overwork at the Site

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kangwook Cho] Ahead of the Chuseok holiday, measures to protect delivery workers will be implemented, including the addition of 10,000 personnel to the delivery sites.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 3rd that it will operate a special management period for four weeks from the 6th of this month to the 2nd of next month, during which delivery volumes are expected to surge, to prevent delivery drivers from overwork and to ensure smooth delivery services during the Chuseok holiday period.

The ministry explained that this special management period is intended to prevent delivery drivers' overwork and provide convenient and safe delivery services to consumers through the flawless implementation of the social agreement reached in June to prevent overwork deaths among delivery workers, the enactment of the Living Logistics Service Industry Development Act in July, and separate Chuseok delivery measures, ahead of the first Chuseok peak season since these developments.

During the special management period, approximately 10,000 additional personnel will be deployed at delivery sites to protect workers and enhance consumer convenience. This is to ensure that workers do not overexert themselves by working long hours despite the surge in delivery volumes.

Accordingly, in addition to about 3,000 sorting-dedicated personnel promised by delivery companies through the social agreement on June 22 to be deployed from September, temporary personnel totaling about 7,000 will be additionally deployed on-site, including 1,770 hub terminal assistants, 853 sub-terminal loading and unloading workers, 2,202 trunk vehicle operators, 1,570 accompanying personnel, and 1,346 delivery drivers.

Major delivery companies have decided to restrict the collection of delivery items starting three days before the Chuseok holiday. This will allow most delivery drivers to spend the Chuseok holiday with their families.

Active health management measures to prevent workers from collapsing due to overwork will also be implemented. Each agency will designate a health manager to check the health status of workers before and after work daily, and if any abnormalities are found, the worker will be immediately excluded from work and allowed to rest.

Additionally, delivery drivers will not be held responsible for any delivery delays caused by the surge in volume during this period. To disperse the volume, public offices and others with many holiday orders are encouraged to place 'pre-orders,' and a nationwide campaign is underway on social media to distribute orders from the younger generation, who frequently use delivery services.

Meanwhile, on the 3rd, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Noh Hyung-wook visited the Dongnam region delivery terminal located in Jangji-dong, Seoul, to inspect the preparations of delivery companies for Chuseok and the implementation status of the 'Social Agreement to Prevent Delivery Driver Overwork.'

Minister Noh held a meeting with delivery drivers, agency owners, and delivery companies, the parties to the social agreement, to discuss Chuseok measures and the implementation status of the agreement. The four major delivery companies participating in the social agreement?CJ Logistics, Hanjin, Lotte Global Logistics, and Logen?began deploying additional sorting personnel from the 1st of this month and plan to complete improvements in sorting operations by the end of the year.

He stated, "Thorough implementation of the social agreement will create a healthy growth foundation for the delivery industry and form a co-growth relationship with workers, ultimately leading to a virtuous cycle that enhances corporate competitiveness," and urged, "Until the agreement is fully implemented, delivery companies, agencies, and workers should carry a heavy sense of responsibility and tension and do their best."

After the meeting, Minister Noh inspected the actual site where sorting-dedicated personnel were deployed at the Hanjin and Lotte delivery terminals located within the Dongnam logistics center and checked the delivery status of Chuseok seasonal products while encouraging the workers.

Minister Noh emphasized, "The government will support with strong will and interest to protect workers, including excluding delivery drivers from sorting tasks, distributing standard contracts, and guaranteeing contract renewal claims (6 years)," and added, "We will continue efforts to make jobs in the delivery industry healthy and stable workplaces."

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