In a statement released Thursday, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said, “We tried to help delivery companies and local residents find common ground, but this only resulted in backlash from the public. We have decided to listen to the people.” (Image: Yonhap)
SEJONG, Apr. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — The South Korean government has scrapped plans to intervene in a conflict between couriers and an apartment complex after local residents banned delivery vehicles from entering in fear of potential traffic accidents.
In a statement released Thursday, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said, “We tried to help delivery companies and local residents find common ground, but this only resulted in backlash from the public. We have decided to listen to the people.”
The backtrack comes on the heels of growing criticism from the public over the government’s now-scrapped plan to spend taxpayer money to hire senior delivery workers at the apartment complex in Dasan New Town in Gyeonggi Province.
The transport ministry added it will be up to the parties involved to solve the matter on their own.
Some residents of apartment blocks in Dasan New Town recently blocked delivery vehicles from entering, in what they say was a bid to reduce car accidents.
However, parcel delivery trucks were too tall to enter the underground parking garages, leaving couriers with no other choice but to leave parcels at ground-level parking spaces.
Pictures of piles of parcels sparked quite the controversy online, prompting the transport ministry to chime in, offering senior delivery workers as an option.
The idea was met with fierce opposition, with over 200,000 people signing a petition opposing the plan on the official website of the presidential office.
“Delivery services are for shoppers who buy things privately and there is no good reason to spend public money. Local residents should pay out of their own pocket for the cost of silver delivery workers,” the petitioner said.
The Dasan New Town apartment blocks and couriers are now left to their own devices, as the government has extricated itself from the dispute.
Despite the backtrack on funding additional delivery workers, the transport ministry will follow through on its promise to require that new underground parking lots be tall enough for delivery trucks to enter.
Hyunsu Yim (hyunsu@koreabizwire.com)
