Appeal from Chuseok Delivery Workers: "Please Don't Rush Us, We're Struggling Too"

Parcel Volume This Month Increases by 11% Compared to Usual

A text message from a delivery worker exhausted by the surge in parcel volumes and customers' urgings ahead of Chuseok was revealed.

On the 10th, one week before Chuseok, the largest ethnic holiday, officials at the Dong Seoul Postal Logistics Center in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, are busy sorting Chuseok gifts and parcel deliveries. The Korea Post expects to receive approximately 19.25 million parcels ahead of this Chuseok and has initiated emergency operations at nationwide concentration centers and post offices until the 20th. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

Recently, a netizen shared on their X (Twitter) account, saying "My heart hurts," and posted a text message they received the previous night from a delivery worker.

The delivery worker wrote, "This is OO Delivery. Due to an overwhelming volume of deliveries, there will be delays. Delivery is expected before 12 o'clock," adding, "Please do not call and rush us. That only makes it later. We ask for your understanding. We are sorry. We are struggling too."

Other netizens also shared messages they received from delivery workers. The texts read, "Due to the high volume of OO Delivery parcels, we are only now starting deliveries. Therefore, we inform you of the delay, and we will first deliver iceboxes, followed by regular parcels. We will do our best to deliver as quickly and safely as possible." Subsequently, another message said, "Due to system time issues, we will mark it as completed and deliver it."

A week before Chuseok, the largest traditional holiday, on the 10th, officials at the Dong Seoul Postal Logistics Center in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, are busy sorting Chuseok gifts and parcel deliveries. The Korea Post expects to receive approximately 19.25 million parcels for this Chuseok and has initiated emergency operations at nationwide sorting centers and post offices until the 20th. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

‘Special Management Period for Chuseok Holiday Deliveries’ until the 25th

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport projected the expected daily parcel volume this month to be 18.5 million packages, an 11% increase from the usual 16.6 million boxes. Delivery workers, who are classified as special employment workers, are responsible for all parcels assigned to their designated areas. Moreover, this Chuseok season has been intensified by lingering late summer heat, increasing labor intensity.

To prevent overwork among delivery workers during the Chuseok peak delivery season and to ensure smooth delivery services, the Ministry designated the period from the 2nd to the 25th of this month as the ‘Special Management Period for Chuseok Holiday Deliveries.’ Additionally, in consultation with the industry, about 6,000 extra personnel, including truck drivers and loading/unloading and sorting staff, will be deployed during this special management period.

As the issue of delivery workers’ overwork-related deaths continues, on the 9th, Kim Min-seok, Vice Minister of Employment and Labor, stated at the National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee plenary session held in Yeouido, Seoul, "We fully recognize the problem" and added, "We will prepare for labor inspections."