Gangseo-gu to Open Second Shelter for Platform Workers This September

Selected for the 'Support Project for Improving Workplaces for Vulnerable Workers' Contest

Gangseo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jin Gyo-hoon) announced on the 13th that it will establish a second shelter for platform workers and begin operation in September this year.

The opening ceremony of the first branch of the Hwagog 6-dong Platform Workers' Shelter. Provided by Gangseo-gu.

The district was finally selected on the 11th for the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s ‘Support Project for Improving Workplaces for Vulnerable Workers,’ enabling it to expand rest spaces for platform workers such as delivery and courier drivers, substitute drivers, and private tutors.

The location will be chosen considering user accessibility, convenience, and ease of parking. Through this public contest project, the district secured 52 million KRW in national funds and 52 million KRW in district funds. The new shelter will be equipped with various convenience facilities including heating and cooling systems, air purifiers, hot and cold water dispensers, and smart chargers, and will operate unmanned to allow free use 365 days a year.

Since November last year, the district has been operating the first shelter in a roadside parking area next to Building A of Booyoung Gangseo in Hwagok 6-dong (near 414 Gonghang-daero, Gangseo-gu, Seoul). It has received great response, with an average of 30 to 40 platform workers using it daily.

The shelter, created for workers who have no fixed office and must wait on the street to escape the cold and take a short rest, has become more than just a resting space; it has established itself as a communication space for platform workers. Messages such as “Safety is the top priority. Drive slowly” are left to show concern for each other’s safety and support their lives, and some users have even started donating disposable coffee cups.

The shelter operates year-round from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily. Anyone can freely use it by verifying their identity through Naver QR code authentication.

Mayor Jin Gyo-hoon said, “I am pleased that the shelter, prepared for the safety and rest of platform workers, has become a meaningful space where many workers use it and communicate and encourage each other,” adding, “We will continue to expand such spaces and create a working environment where workers can work comfortably.”