"Without Early Morning Delivery, Dual-Income Couples Can't Cope"... A Working Mom's Earnest Plea

"It Is Difficult for Dual-Income Families to Shop for Groceries Without Early Morning Delivery"

Opposition to a 'ban on early morning delivery' is spreading, particularly among consumers who frequently use early morning delivery services.

According to the National Assembly's public petition board on the 28th, a petition titled "Opposition to the Ban and Restriction on Early Morning Delivery" had received the support of 29,486 people as of 6 p.m. that day. If the petition garners 50,000 signatures by December 13, it will be automatically referred to the relevant standing committee of the National Assembly.

Motorcycle delivery worker heading out for delivery. Photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

The petitioner, who introduced herself as a working mother in a dual-income household, stated, "I submitted this petition as a last resort after hearing that the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions demanded a complete ban on early morning delivery during a social dialogue on parcel delivery organized by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport."

She said, "My husband and I struggle every day between late work hours and childcare. By the time we take care of the kids' dinner, bathe them, and handle housework, the day is already over. But late at night, when all the stores are closed, the kids suddenly tell us they need to bring paints to school or that they've lost their recorder."

She continued, "Every time that happens, I feel relieved that I can buy what we need through early morning delivery. Otherwise, I would have to wait for the stationery store to open early in the morning, buy the items quickly, and then rush to work, which would make mornings extremely hectic. If I'm late to work, it's embarrassing to say it's because of the kids."

She pointed out, "For dual-income families like ours, even grocery shopping would not be easy without early morning delivery. Early morning delivery has become an essential service that is inseparable from people's daily lives. In a country where low birth rates are a serious issue, making childcare and daily life even more difficult is not the answer."

She added, "I don't think banning early morning delivery altogether is the right approach. It will not help anyone. I sincerely hope the National Assembly and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will find a better solution that truly meets the needs of the people."

Meanwhile, small business owners who rely on early morning delivery for their food supplies have also voiced concerns that they will inevitably suffer a blow to their sales if early morning delivery becomes difficult.

The Korea Federation of Micro Enterprises issued a statement on the 9th, saying, "Calls to ban early morning delivery undermine the government's efforts to revive the people's economy. In the midst of an unprecedented crisis caused by sluggish domestic demand, the sudden discussion of banning early morning delivery is causing not only great anxiety but also a threat to the very survival of small business owners who have barely found a lifeline through online sales."