[Editor's Note] 'No-Delivery Day': A Half Success

In a country often divided along lines of left and right, east and west, or men and women, one of the rare examples of social consensus in South Korea is the "No-Delivery Day." Around August 15, delivery drivers take time off. This period coincides with the tail end of the summer vacation season and comes just before the busy Chuseok holiday, making it an ideal time for a break. In 2020, the government and major delivery companies agreed to designate the Liberation Day holiday each year as a day off. This agreement brought together companies willing to accept losses, workers seeking guaranteed rest, and consumers who are willing to tolerate a day or two of slower deliveries.

This year, CJ Logistics and Hanjin have designated August 14, the day before Liberation Day, as a holiday, giving their workers two days off from August 14 to 15. Lotte Global Logistics and Logen Express have chosen Saturday, August 16, as their No-Delivery Day, resulting in a three-day break from August 15 to 17.

With breaks ranging from two to three days, delivery drivers say they are able to focus on themselves and their families. According to a survey conducted by CJ Logistics of 1,751 of its delivery drivers on August 6-7, the most desired activity during No-Delivery Day was traveling with family (70.1%), followed by getting plenty of rest (17.6%), going out with children (8.7%), and visiting hometowns (3.6%). Many respondents also said they appreciated being able to spend time with family (47.6%), having their right to rest respected (31.5%), and feeling a better work-life balance (12.1%).

Although there is considerable satisfaction with No-Delivery Day, various side effects have also emerged. At Korea Post, conflicts between civil servant postal workers and civilian parcel delivery contractors have deepened each year. This is because parcels received on No-Delivery Day are transferred to postal workers, burdening them with excessive workloads while the contractors are off. A government official explained, "In principle, the Logistics Support Team, a subsidiary of Korea Post, should take responsibility for parcel deliveries by hiring more staff, but budget constraints are significant, and newly hired workers often spend the entire day navigating unfamiliar neighborhoods with GPS."

This "workload shifting" is also cited as a reason why Coupang does not participate in No-Delivery Day. Coupang's directly employed delivery staff, known as "Coupang Friends (Couchin)," have voiced opposition to No-Delivery Day, arguing that they cannot take on the extra workload when "Quick Flexers," who are classified as special contract workers, take time off. An industry insider noted, "Most delivery drivers are special contract workers who operate like self-employed individuals, but Coupang uniquely hires some delivery drivers directly. One reason Coupang does not participate in No-Delivery Day may be opposition from the Couchin."

Worker protection is a key priority for the Lee Jaemyung administration. As society grows more complex, new forms of labor are emerging, and the logistics industry is no exception, with its mix of employment types. Simply granting one day off per year does not fully resolve these issues. Going forward, the Liberation Day holiday should move beyond being a source of conflict among delivery drivers and become a starting point for broader guarantees of the right to rest. As the first No-Delivery Day since the launch of this administration approaches, careful attention and review are needed.