On the morning of August 13 last year (2024), a day before the designated “No Delivery Day,” workers organize parcels at the Southeastern Logistics Complex in Songpa District, Seoul. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 14 (Korea Bizwire) — A working mother has filed a petition with South Korea’s National Assembly opposing a proposed ban on early-morning delivery services, arguing that the measure would harm families and consumers who depend on the convenience for their daily lives.
The petition, titled “Opposition to the Ban or Restriction on Dawn Deliveries,” was posted Thursday on the National Assembly’s public petition board.
The author, identifying herself as a mother of two, said that for dual-income households returning home late, dawn deliveries are “not merely a convenience but a lifeline that sustains family routines, health, and childcare.”
She warned that regulating the industry — which is closely tied to consumer lifestyles and employment — could cause “greater inconvenience and social conflict,” urging lawmakers and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to seek alternative solutions.
The controversy stems from a proposal by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions’ Parcel Delivery Workers’ Union, which called for restricting deliveries between midnight and 5 a.m. to protect workers’ rest and health.
Retail and logistics companies have pushed back, citing consumer inconvenience and potential job losses.
A recent survey by the civic group Consumers Together and the Korea Consumer Association found that 64 percent of respondents would find the ban inconvenient, while 99 percent of those who had used dawn delivery said they would continue to do so if available.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
