Working Six Days a Week, Up to 11 Hours a Day
"Comparable to Big Company Salaries... Working Conditions Are Improving"
A delivery driver with 12 years of experience has drawn attention by revealing his monthly net income exceeding 10 million won.
A delivery worker is sorting and delivering postal packages with his shirt soaked in sweat due to the scorching heat. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. Photo by Jo Yongjun.
Recently, a post titled "Current CJ Logistics Delivery Driver Certifies Net Income" was uploaded to an online community. The author, identified as Mr. A, who introduced himself as a delivery driver with 12 years of experience, stated that he currently delivers packages using a privately owned vehicle registered under a transportation company.He explained that he works six days a week, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and until 4 p.m. on Saturdays, while substitute workers handle deliveries on Sundays and public holidays.
According to the pay statements disclosed by Mr. A, after deducting about 300,000 won for logistics company fees and fuel costs, his net income over the past three months was 8.66 million won, 8.96 million won, and 10.06 million won, respectively. This amounts to an average monthly income of approximately 9.22 million won.
Mr. A stated, "There are significant differences depending on the region and the driver. There is no absolute standard," and added, "I usually finish deliveries around 6 p.m., but after collecting packages from clients and loading them, I get home around 8 p.m."
He said his initial income was about 3 million won, but it increased significantly after he purchased his own vehicle in his first year. He is now in charge of large apartment complexes and major clients, thanks to his more than 10 years of experience.
Mr. A commented, "Recently, a labor union was established, working conditions are gradually improving, and sorting assistants have been introduced, making the job much more comfortable. I use a government-supported fuel subsidy card for gas, and my fixed expenses are mainly fuel, lunch, and value-added tax paid twice a year. Since I don't travel long distances, my monthly fuel cost is about 250,000 won."
He also cited the absence of a retirement age as an advantage of being a delivery driver. He said, "I think I earn about the same as my friends who work at large corporations. Of course, it's a physically demanding job, so it's hard to do for a long time, but I believe there is no better job in terms of earning honestly in proportion to the effort I put in, so I am working hard."
Average Delivery Driver Income Is 5.17 Million Won... 92.4% Report 'Average or Higher' Job Satisfaction
However, Mr. A's income is far above the industry average. According to a "Delivery Driver Working Conditions and Job Satisfaction Survey" published by the Korea Logistics Science and Technology Society in July, the average monthly income of 1,203 drivers working for the six major domestic courier companies is about 5,169,000 won. The highest total income was reported by Kurly (5,782,000 won) and Coupang CLS (5,695,000 won), followed by Lotte Global Logistics (4,985,000 won), Logen (4,946,000 won), CJ Logistics (4,935,000 won), and Hanjin Express (4,711,000 won).
Job satisfaction among delivery drivers is relatively high. Of all respondents, 92.4% rated their job satisfaction as "average or higher," and among them, 46.2% said their satisfaction was high. Overall job satisfaction scores were highest for Lotte Global Logistics at 61.9 points, followed by Coupang CLS at 61.0 points, and Logen at 60.9 points.
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