"Cheaper and also responsive to 'Yubae Call'... Delivery Industry Becomes a Sanctuary for Illegal Foreign Workers"

150 Cases of Illegal Employment of Foreigners Detected in the First Half of the Year
Difficult to Determine Responsibility in Case of Accidents

As the proportion of foreign riders in the domestic delivery industry increases, the number of illegal immigrants caught while working in delivery is also rising. Some communities have even established sections to share and report information about foreign riders delivering without license plates or licenses.

A motorcycle delivery worker is making a delivery on Hongdae Street in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

According to the Ministry of Justice on the 16th, the number of illegal foreign workers caught working in courier and delivery services during the first half of this year (January to June) totaled 150 cases. Considering that 117 cases were caught throughout last year, this means the number of detections more than doubled during the same period.

This occurred as the domestic delivery market rapidly grew, and the shortage of manpower was filled with illegal foreign riders. Foreign riders can be employed at lower wages compared to domestic riders and have a higher acceptance rate of so-called "exile calls"?deliveries in bad weather or inconvenient routes. In small and medium-sized delivery agencies located in areas with high foreign resident ratios such as Yeongdeungpo-gu in Seoul, Bupyeong-gu in Incheon, and Yeongtong-gu in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, there are reports that the proportion of foreign riders has already surpassed that of domestic riders.

Yang Mo (42), a delivery worker active in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, said, "The more small and medium-sized delivery agencies there are, the less strict the employment conditions, so many illegal foreign riders from Southeast Asia are active," adding, "Even in large companies like Coupang or Baedal Minjok (Baemin), there are many foreign riders operating under stolen Korean identities."

The problem is that a high proportion of foreign riders with illegal residency status drive without insurance or licenses. In such cases, when an accident occurs while driving, the responsibility becomes ambiguous, and it is difficult to receive full compensation for damages. Although organizations like the Korea Road Traffic Authority operate systems that provide partial compensation for damages in accidents involving illegal foreigners, the compensation rate is low.

Under the current Immigration Control Act, only foreigners holding F-2 (residence), F-5 (permanent residence), or F-6 (marriage immigrant) visas are allowed to be employed by delivery companies. However, since the conditions are strict, there are frequent cases of secret employment through various illegal methods, and employers reportedly tolerate such employment to reduce labor costs despite knowing these workers have illegal status.

An official from a delivery agency in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, explained, "From the employer's perspective, there is no reason to refuse foreign riders who accept calls more often during bad weather and earn lower wages than domestic riders. Some places even solve everything including identity theft of illegal foreign riders for about 10,000 won per day. This shows how clandestinely illegal foreign workers are being employed."

In a motorcycle parking lot in Seoul, delivery motorcycles are parked ahead of the evening hours. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Given this situation, domestic riders are increasingly concerned that foreign riders will soon dominate the domestic delivery market. Recently, the largest domestic delivery rider community established a "Illegal Foreign Worker Talk" section. The purpose is to share information and reports about illegal foreign riders spotted nationwide. Posts such as "Reporting foreign license plates in Bupyeong" and "Report on foreign riders in Gangdong-gu" have been uploaded to this community.

Experts say that the increasing proportion of foreign riders is a natural phenomenon but emphasize the need to strengthen crackdowns on illegal immigrants. Professor Choi Jae-won of the Korea Road Traffic Authority said, "After the pandemic, the domestic delivery market rapidly expanded, leading to a shortage of delivery riders, and delivery fees increased, so employers want to hire riders at lower wages. It is natural for the proportion of foreign riders to increase according to supply and demand principles," but he advised, "However, if these riders drive uninsured and without licenses and cause accidents, Korean citizens cannot receive full compensation for damages, which results in national harm. Therefore, the government needs to strengthen crackdowns on illegal foreign residents working in the delivery industry."