[The Editors' Verdict] Fast Delivery Comes at a Price

800 won is deposited into his bank account as he carries a box down the stairs. He finishes his lunch in 12 minutes and works 71 hours a week. The average age is 44.9, but most are either young friends or seasoned middle-aged individuals. We know well why they took on this job. This year, 10 delivery workers died while working to make a living. That is only the known number. It is impossible to even estimate how many youths have faded away, cursing the world as plastic food containers roll on the road.

In response to the successive deaths of delivery workers, the government has focused its measures on restricting working hours, such as banning late-night deliveries. This is reminiscent of laws restricting large supermarkets’ operating hours to revive traditional markets. It is common to hear that the desired effect did not materialize and only the distribution industry suffered. Similarly, this recent measure is also reasonably expected to increase consumer burden while reducing delivery workers’ income.

This does not mean the government’s measures are meaningless. Regulations need to be more sophisticated, but like the Distribution Industry Development Act, they will be insufficient to completely resolve market failures. There are also various legislative discussions in the National Assembly to guarantee the basic rights of special employment workers like delivery workers. Abolishing the exclusion clause for industrial accident insurance and the so-called overwork death prevention law embody values that should be pursued. However, these too are unlikely to be fundamental solutions. Companies will devise various ways to avoid increased costs, and young people and unemployed heads of households who cannot bear the lowered fees and more inhumane algorithms will still line up in front of platform companies.

Platform-based services such as delivery, food delivery, designated driving, and call taxis have experienced rapid growth. We have dared to award IT companies that created this with the badge of “innovation.” The problem lies in the fact that neither companies nor consumers want to bear the costs invested in innovation. The delivery fee, which was 3,265 won in 2002, dropped to 2,269 won in 2019. This is the tacit agreement of companies and consumers to shift the cost of price reduction and service improvement onto delivery workers. To make a living on a commission of only 700 to 800 won per delivery, longer working hours are the only answer, and this is the cause of this disaster.

While we enjoy the convenience of platform-based services that have become almost free compared to before, we should rightfully feel internal discomfort. Alleviating guilt with campaigns like “Please come slowly” is nothing but self-deception. We must accept the obvious fact that we need to pay accordingly for services that require more effort. Platform companies should set prices appropriate for fast delivery and different prices for late delivery, and return those profits to the workers.

Innovation that can only be achieved by exchanging human lives is already evil. Consumers must be able to distinguish between despicable profiteering that holds human life hostage and legitimate innovation that demands fair compensation. The digital market, where many consumers open their wallets saying “paying for effort is justice” despite knowing illegal downloads are possible with a few clicks, also seemed impossible at first. We must and can accomplish this somewhat idealistic task. This is only possible when both companies and consumers move simultaneously without hesitation.

Our work does not end by shouting for the government to prepare measures. Government regulations are only minimal safety nets. Ultimately, only the courage to pay a fair price can stop the procession of death. How much that will be needs to be examined, but it certainly is not 800 won. You say consumer burden is spoken of too easily? Then give up on bullet delivery. Isn’t that the free and just “market” that I and we uphold?

Shin Beom-su, Head of Social Affairs Department