SEOUL, Nov. 24 (Korea Bizwire) – Around 3,000 members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), including workers from the National Delivery Workers Union, gathered in front of Seoul Station on November 24 to protest against the growing pressures in the delivery industry.
The demonstrators, primarily from the service sector, called for an end to the fierce delivery speed competition, specifically targeting major companies like Coupang.
In their statement, the union members urged that if the delivery speed race is not stopped, it would continue to worsen working conditions and threaten workers’ safety. “If we do not put a stop to Coupang’s reckless pace, we will never escape the worsening labor conditions and the dangerous trend of dawn deliveries,” they declared.
They also called for public hearings and urged Coupang to engage in social dialogue to address these issues and reform the risky early-morning delivery system.
Kim Kwang-seok, leader of the Delivery Workers Union, pointed to CJ Logistics, which plans to implement seven-day deliveries starting next year, as a key example of how labor conditions are deteriorating. He vowed to protect workers’ rights, saying, “We will defend our lives and ensure that delivery workers are not discriminated against as special employment workers.”
After the rally, participants marched through central Seoul, passing by the headquarters of Hanjin and the Central Post Office, before ending their demonstration in front of CJ Logistics’ office in Jongno District. The protest highlighted the growing concerns over the industry’s labor practices and its impact on workers’ well-being.
Image credit: Yonhap / photonews@koreabizwire.com
