[2021 National Audit] Over 6,000 Industrial Accidents in 5 Years Among Quick Service Workers Including 'Riders'

Im Jong-seong "Urgent Need to Expand Industrial Accident Insurance Coverage and Secure Safety Nets"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] It has been revealed that the number of industrial accidents involving quick service workers employed by delivery agencies reached 6,267 cases over the past five years.

According to data received on the 12th from the Ministry of Employment and Labor by Lim Jongseong, a member of the Environment and Labor Committee of the National Assembly from the Democratic Party of Korea, the number of approved industrial accident cases for quick service workers was 411 in 2017, 597 in 2018, 1,105 in 2019, 2,070 in 2020, and 2,084 as of July 2021, showing a fivefold increase over five years.

The number of applications for industrial accident insurance survivor benefits due to worker deaths also surged. It increased from 4 cases in 2017 to 19 cases last year, and continued to rise with 16 cases from January to July this year. Over the past five years, 58 applications for survivor benefits were made, of which 43 were approved. Approximately 25% were not approved for industrial accident insurance.

Although the Ministry of Employment and Labor revised the job regulations for labor inspectors in January last year to ensure that accident investigations for motorcycle delivery workers are not omitted, it has been revealed that no accident investigations have been conducted to date.

Rep. Lim said, "There are still many motorcycle delivery workers in the blind spots of industrial accident insurance due to issues such as non-enrollment in industrial accident insurance and exclusivity," and added, "It is urgent to improve the system to secure a safety net for motorcycle delivery workers, including expanding the coverage of industrial accident insurance."

On the 1st, he introduced a bill to partially amend the 'Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act' and the 'Insurance Premium Collection Act' as a representative, which abolishes the 'exclusivity' requirement for special employment workers (special types of workers) and platform workers when enrolling in industrial accident insurance.

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