Analysts attributed the rise to the large number of male workers in delivery and chauffeur services that the platform economy has activated. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jun. 3 (Korea Bizwire) — A recent survey has revealed that up to 540,000 “platform economy” workers are engaged in a variety of delivery and chauffer services through digital platforms such as mobile apps.
A platform economy worker refers to a person who provides services and earns income via an online media brokerage and agency including mobile apps.
The Korea Employment Information Service estimated the size of the platform economy through a sample survey of 30,000 randomly selected men and women aged 15 and over across the country last year.
The estimated number of South Korean platform economy workers was estimated to be between 469,000 and 538,000 through the sample survey.
This is equivalent to 1.7 to 2 percent of all employed people as of October last year.
Platform economy workers earn income in exchange for labor, but are not recognized as ‘employed’ because they work on consignment instead under the terms of an employment contract, or by providing one-off services without contract.
At 66.7 percent, the majority of workers in the platform economy were male.
Analysts attributed the rise to the large number of male workers in delivery and chauffeur services that the platform economy has activated.
The data also showed that 23.1 percent of the female platform economy workers are employed as assistants or waitresses in restaurants, while 17.4 percent found jobs as household and child helpers.
D. M. Park (dmpark@koreabizwire.com)
