Over 700 foreign nationals found illegally working as delivery riders
A government crackdown found 734 foreign nationals, mostly international students, working illegally as delivery riders in Korea and triggered fines, deportations and wider investigations.
A delivery rider is driving on a street in Seoul on June 3.YONHAP
More than 700 foreign nationals were caught illegally working as food delivery riders in a recent government crackdown, with international students making up more than half of those identified, the Ministry of Justice said on Monday.
The Justice Ministry caught 734 foreign nationals between January and May for working illegally as delivery riders in violation of the Immigration Act and related laws. The figure is about 11 times higher than the 67 people caught during all of last year.
Under current law, foreign nationals are prohibited from working as delivery riders unless they hold an F-2 long-term resident visa, an F-5 permanent resident visa or an F-6 marriage migrant visa.
Foreign nationals holding D-2 student visas accounted for the largest share of those caught at 410 people or 56 percent. They were followed by holders of the F-4 Visa for People of Korean Heritage at 149 people or 20 percent. Under current immigration law, F-4 visa holders are prohibited from working simple labor and unskilled jobs. Holders of D-10 job seeker visas, a temporary visa available to graduates seeking employment, totaled 99 people or 10 percent.
Investigators found that the riders paid between 150,000 won and 250,000 won ($98-$163) a month to local delivery agency operators to rent delivery app accounts registered under the names of Korean nationals. They reportedly earned between 3 million won and 5 million won a month.
The international students caught in the crackdown were enrolled at 96 universities, accounting for nearly 29 percent of the nation’s 331 universities as of last year.
A delivery rider is driving on a street in Seoul in this undated photoYONHAP
The ministry attributed the increase in illegal work by international students to universities’ aggressive recruitment of foreign students amid a shrinking school-age population and yearslong tuition freezes that have strained their finances.
Among those caught, 34 students from 24 universities were deported. Another 11 former international students who had overstayed their visas and were working as delivery riders were also deported.
By nationality, Vietnamese nationals accounted for the largest group, with 444 people, or 61 percent. They were followed by Chinese nationals with 164 people, or 22 percent, and Uzbek nationals with 86 people, or 12 percent.
The ministry imposed a total of 1.6 billion won ($1.1 million) in fines on 643 of those caught. Individual fines ranged from 1 million won to 10 million won.
Authorities also found that 15 of those apprehended had been driving without a license. The ministry said it plans to refer their cases to police following further investigation.
It is also investigating 16 local delivery agency operators accused of providing delivery app accounts to foreign nationals.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
