A Market Kurly delivery truck makes early-morning rounds as part of the company’s signature fresh grocery delivery service. (Courtesy of Market Kurly)
SEOUL, Nov. 12 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s logistics and e-commerce industries are embroiled in a fierce debate over a proposed ban on deliveries between midnight and 5 a.m., a move labor groups say is needed to protect workers’ health but businesses warn would disrupt jobs and consumer convenience.
The controversy began after the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions’ (KCTU) parcel delivery branch proposed the restriction during a labor-management council meeting in late October, arguing that extreme overnight work hours were depriving drivers of sleep and endangering their health.
But the proposal quickly met resistance from Coupang’s labor union and consumer groups, who argued that it would eliminate jobs and inconvenience millions of customers who rely on the company’s signature “Rocket Delivery” system.
Industry observers say the debate has drifted away from its root cause: Coupang’s labor-intensive, low-cost delivery model, which has distorted pricing and working conditions across the industry. Unlike competitors such as SSG.com and Market Kurly—whose order volumes are capped or algorithmically optimized—Coupang’s vast order network and delivery fees below 1,000 won per parcel have pushed drivers into excessive workloads.
A logistics industry official said Coupang’s nighttime delivery rates hover around 900 won per parcel, less than half the roughly 2,000 won offered by competitors. “Drivers have to handle far more packages just to make a living,” the official said.
This file photo taken May 7, 2025 shows a delivery worker and Coupang delivery trucks at the e-commerce giant’s logistics center in Seoul. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
A veteran delivery worker said many now take multiple jobs to offset falling pay, with fatigue and injury risks worsening. “We’re just exhausted,” she said. “Coupang makes billions, but we feel like disposable labor.”
According to a joint survey by delivery worker unions, night-shift delivery fees averaged 850–940 won per parcel, while delivery volume rose 8 percent last year even as drivers’ real income fell by about 2 percent.
Consumer advocacy groups, however, warned that banning early-morning deliveries could harm not just consumers but also small business owners who depend on overnight logistics. Coupang’s in-house union, representing directly employed drivers, also opposed the measure, saying it would lead to job losses and was “politically motivated.”
The parcel union has cited Hyundai Motor’s 2013 decision to end overnight shifts—replacing them with a two-shift daytime system that preserved pay—as a model for improving working conditions. But labor experts note significant differences, including Hyundai’s 90 percent unionization rate compared with the parcel sector’s 5 percent.
South Korean Consumers Give Top Marks to Dawn Delivery, Lowest to Wedding Services (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
A recent survey of more than 2,400 Coupang delivery contractors found that 93 percent opposed a delivery curfew.
Experts say the issue demands a social consensus that balances worker safety with business sustainability. “It’s time for serious dialogue about the health risks of night labor,” said Lee Byung-hoon, an emeritus professor at Chung-Ang University who advised on the Hyundai case. “The government shouldn’t impose a unilateral policy. We need social dialogue to minimize conflict and find a fair compromise.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
