Page 49 - Varsity Special Issue

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Unbearable

Pressure of

Parcels

The rise of online shopping during the pan-
demic has made couriers inSouth Korea over-
work. The unbearable pressure of parcels is
pushing them into a corner.

By Soweon Park in Seoul

have to deliver 300 parcels and many are working from home. dinner. I sometimes grab some snacks South Korea, delivery workers were Jae-in also posted ‘No Parcel Day’ portedly died from overwork is 18
a day. I cannot work with- “Most couriers including me work for from convenient stores and eat in my allowed to take a day off on August on his twitter on July 18, 2020. “We in the past eight years. In the wake of
“I t taking muscle relaxer,” more than 12 hours a day these days,” truck when I’m extremely hungry,” he 14 – Friday. The government and the should keep hard working couriers surging delivery service demand this
u
o
Lee Hyeong-goo says. The 55-year- Lee says. adds. firms will also make August 14 a rest who are taking the leading role in year, the number of couriers who are
old courier in South Korea has been Lee’s daily work starts at 7 a.m., day for couriers every year. “With the overcoming the COVID-19 in our believed to have died from overwork
working in delivery service for two loading up a truck with parcels to be First Day Off in Nearly Three Liberation Day on August 15, we all minds,” he tweeted. this year alone is eight with the latest
years. delivered. At 12 p.m., he starts dis- Decades had three days off for the first time. I tragedy reported on October 8, 2020.
More and more consumers are patching parcels to consumers. It is A labour union of delivery work- did nothing during the long weekend Death from Overwork “It’s heart-breaking to see young
shopping online for daily necessities already 9 p.m. when he can finally go ers demanded logistic firms to offer an and just stayed at home and let my ex- Parcel service is very labour inten- couriers dying from overwork. I’m
and food such as sanitisers, bottles home after all parcels are delivered. official holiday for couriers. Four ma- hausted body rest,” Lee says. sive starting from sorting parcels to afraid that I could be next too,” Lee
water or fresh sushi and have them “My whole body is in pain every jor logistic companies in South Korea Consumers also support couriers actual deliveries and requires physical says.
delivered to their doorsteps. night. It strains my leg to deliver heavy – CJ Logistics, Hanjin Express, Lotte for having their first official holiday, labour. Some workers died from over- Kim Se-kyoo, who is in charge of
“My daily workload jumped by 30 parcels where there’s no lift (at some Global and Logen – and Post office fi- uploading #it’s_okay_to_be_late on work. education and promotion of the la-
per cent,” Lee says. locations),” Lee says. Despite of the nally designated August 14 as ‘No Par- their social media. President Moon The total number of couriers re- bour union of delivery workers says
The average daily working hour heavy workload, most couriers do not cel Day,’ amid surging workload in the
of courier stretched to 14 hours a day have any day off. They can only rest wake of the COVID-19. “I cannot work without taking
during the pandemic, as people are on Sundays and public holidays. “We For the first time in 28 years since
urged to practice social distancing, don’t even have time to eat lunch or delivery service was introduced in muscle relaxer.”