Hanjin Co., Ltd. Suspends Late-Night Deliveries, Deploys Over 1,000 Sorting Workers... Measures to Prevent Overwork Implemented

Investing 50 Billion Won Next Year to Expand Automatic Classifiers

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[Asia Economy Reporter Yu Je-hoon] Hanjin Co., Ltd. will suspend late-night parcel delivery starting November 1. Additionally, about 1,000 sorting support personnel will be deployed nationwide at business sites and agencies. This measure comes in response to the recent frequent deaths of parcel delivery workers and the need for countermeasures.

Hanjin Co., Ltd. announced the parcel delivery worker overwork prevention measures on the 26th. This comprehensive plan is the second since industry leader CJ Logistics issued a public apology and related measures on the 22nd regarding the death of a parcel delivery worker.

First, Hanjin will stop late-night deliveries from next month, and undelivered parcels on the same day will be delivered the following day. Also, parcel volumes concentrated on Tuesdays and Wednesdays will be distributed to other weekdays to prevent labor intensity from being concentrated on specific days while ensuring income does not decrease compared to before. Especially during periods of sharp volume increases such as Lunar New Year and Chuseok, vehicle and personnel numbers will be increased accordingly.

Furthermore, Hanjin will deploy about 1,000 personnel to assist with sorting work, which has been identified as a major cause of increased labor intensity for parcel delivery workers. The sorting support personnel will be gradually deployed from November according to the environment of nationwide business sites and agencies. The company will bear the related costs. Hanjin stated, "By deploying sorting support personnel, we will reduce the sorting workload of parcel delivery workers and allow them to focus on delivery."

Investment in terminal automation to shorten sorting time will also be expanded. Hanjin plans to invest 50 billion KRW in 2021 to introduce additional automatic sorters. The company explains that this will reduce morning sorting time by more than one hour. Previously, Hanjin invested 300 billion KRW to build the Daejeon Mega Hub Terminal and plans to invest over 400 billion KRW in the parcel delivery sector alone by 2023.

In addition, to protect the health of parcel delivery workers, Hanjin will support all delivery drivers to enroll in industrial accident insurance by the first half of next year. Annual health checkups, including cardiovascular examinations, will also be conducted at the company’s expense.

Hanjin said, "Following the apology issued on the 20th regarding the death of a parcel delivery worker, we will promptly proceed with appropriate compensation procedures with the bereaved family." The company added, "We will strengthen communication with the field to prevent such accidents from recurring and devote all efforts to creating a healthy and safe workplace."