"Wait Until a Resident Leaves"... How a Delivery Driver Escaped After Being Trapped Inside an Apartment Complex

"Wait until a resident leaves"
Apartment refuses to open exit for delivery driver

Recently, there have been a series of cases where apartments have imposed excessive entry and exit regulations on food delivery drivers and parcel couriers. Now, controversy has arisen after a delivery driver in an apartment complex in Dongnae-gu, Busan, was instructed to "wait until a resident leaves" and was unable to exit the complex. The delivery driver, who was trying to leave the complex, was stopped by the security guard and could not pass through the exit door, and ultimately had no other choice but to climb over the wall to get out. Online, there has been a strong backlash, with many criticizing this as "abuse of power under the pretext of security."

"You can't leave until a resident does"… Delivery driver climbs wall after apartment's abuse of power

A delivery driver story has been shared where the apartment exit door would not open, and the security guard also refused to open it, leaving no other choice but to climb over the wall. Instagram

Ms. A, who introduced herself as the wife of the delivery driver, posted on an online community on the 22nd, saying, "This happened to my husband today," and "He has worked in delivery for over 10 years, but this is the first time something like this has happened." She said, "He delivered food to an apartment in Dongnae-gu, Busan, and tried to leave, but the entrance door wouldn't open." She continued, "After several attempts, he was worried about being late for his next delivery, so he asked the security guard to open the door, but the guard told him to 'wait until a resident leaves.'"

She also released a video her husband had recorded. In the video, the delivery driver approaches the security guard and asks, "How do I open the door? Can you open it for me?" The security guard waves his hand, indicating that he cannot open it. In the end, the delivery driver, worried about being late for his next delivery, climbed over the wall to get out. Ms. A asked, "Are there really apartments where you can't even leave?" and "Is this the abuse of power I've only heard about?" She also wondered, "Are there many apartments like this nowadays? I'm genuinely curious."

An apartment security guard is refusing a delivery driver's request to open the apartment entrance. Instagram

After reading Ms. A's post, online commenters said, "Preventing someone from leaving is basically confinement," "This is abuse of power under the pretext of security," "What if there is a fire? Isn't this a violation of fire safety regulations?" "Residents treat delivery drivers as outsiders even though they order deliveries," "No one should deliver to places like that," and "If that's how it is, why do they order delivery at all?" Criticism poured in. Some commenters shared similar experiences, saying, "I've experienced something like this before." Other comments included, "I was stuck for a long time because they wouldn't open the barrier in the underground parking lot," and "Even if you walk around with your helmet on, it's not allowed. There are places where people complain and demand you take it off because they're scared."

Ongoing controversy over 'abuse of power' in apartments

Even though courier and delivery services have become essential in daily life, some apartments continue to impose various requirements on delivery drivers, citing inconvenience with their entry into the complex. Recently, some apartments have sparked backlash by imposing a range of rules on parcel couriers, such as banning deliveries during rush hours, restricting the use of elevators, and regulating vehicle access to ground-level areas. In August, an apartment complex in Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, attempted to charge delivery drivers a deposit and usage fee for access cards, but withdrew the plan amid criticism of "abuse of power."