Ruling Party's Dawn Delivery Restrictions to Take Shape Early Next Year, But Faces Dilemma Ahead of Local Elections

[Financial News] The dawn delivery restriction plan promoted by the Lee Jae-myung administration and the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is expected to take shape as early as the beginning of next year. However, with significant public opposition, there are concerns that the measure could negatively impact the local elections in June, putting the DPK in a dilemma.

According to political sources on the 15th, issues regarding dawn delivery and the treatment of couriers are mainly being discussed at a social dialogue body led by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). After the fourth meeting on the 19th and continued discussions through the end of the year, the outline of the dawn delivery restriction plan is expected to emerge early next year, according to officials.
A DPK official told Financial News, "Discussions on dawn delivery restrictions will gradually progress by the end of the year, and there will be meaningful announcements," adding, "A comprehensive plan will be presented along with other issues related to courier labor."
The extent of dawn delivery restrictions will be determined as part of the process to improve working conditions for couriers, led by the DPK's social dialogue body. So far, discussions have included the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU)'s proposal to ban night work such as dawn delivery, and a review of the implementation of the 2021 social agreement to exclude couriers from parcel sorting tasks. The upcoming fourth meeting will address seven-day workweeks, and future meetings are expected to cover courier commission issues.
Although the final plan for dawn delivery restrictions will be part of a comprehensive policy package, the key turning point is expected to be the interim report from a research project commissioned by the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL), due at the end of this month. The study focuses on the health impacts of night work. Depending on the findings, the KCTU may intensify its demands for a complete ban on dawn delivery, which could influence the direction of discussions within the government and the ruling party.

A major obstacle is the local elections. If the dawn delivery restriction issue gains public attention early next year, backlash could become a political liability for the ruling party. A petition opposing the ban and restrictions on dawn delivery was submitted to the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, surpassing the 50,000-signature threshold for automatic referral.
The People Power Party, which will compete with the DPK in the local elections, is seizing the opportunity. Kim Eun-hye and Jaejun Woo, both members of the party leadership, held a forum at the National Assembly on this day to oppose the dawn delivery ban.
Representative Kim criticized the DPK-led social dialogue, stating, "Any issue that could infringe on citizens' rights must ensure transparency and legitimacy," and pointed out, "However, the head of the Coupang labor union, the main provider of night delivery services, was excluded from the initial discussions."
Representative Woo also remarked, "Abolishing dawn delivery ignores key factors that must be considered in policy decisions, such as consumer rights, employment, the survival of small logistics companies, and the regional economy," adding, "It is unacceptable to exclude night courier workers, who are the most important stakeholders, from these discussions."
Jin Young Jung, head of the Coupang labor union and a key stakeholder, also attended the forum. Jung argued, "Who will take responsibility for the job insecurity and wage losses caused by a ban on dawn delivery?" and called the idea "an unrealistic proposal that would undermine the foundation of the courier industry."
uknow@fnnews.com Kim Yun-ho Reporter