Home > Business > Industry

'Dawn delivery' drivers oppose government's working hour limit

Published: 11 Feb. 2026, 05:00

Coupang trucks are parked in Seoul on Dec. 14, 2025. [YONHAP]

A major shake-up is expected in the so-called dawn delivery market. For big-box retailers, regulations may be lifted for the first time in 13 years, while e-commerce companies may face new restrictions that previously did not exist. Consumers remain unsure whether this constitutes good news, and delivery drivers are largely unhappy, leaving all parties involved confused and uncertain regarding the possible measures.

The ruling party and the government have decided to extend the maximum weekly working hours for dawn delivery drivers, or those who deliver packages throughout the night, from 40 to 46, according to papers obtained by the JoongAng Ilbo on Monday.

Under the agreement, parcel delivery companies and local agencies must also implement a five-day workweek for dawn delivery drivers starting Jan. 1, 2027. In other words, until that date, dawn delivery drivers will be able to work 50 hours per week; after that point, they will be limited to 46.

The revised plan appears to be a compromise on behalf of delivery workers. As many are self-employed and work as subcontractors for conglomerates, they claim that a cap on working hours will only negatively affect their livelihoods.

In response, the government formed a social dialogue body to discuss ways to improve working conditions for delivery drivers. Led by the Democratic Party, the body comprises government ministries, including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Employment and Labor; delivery companies, such as Coupang and CJ Logistics; labor groups, including the Federation of Korean Trade Unions and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; and associations representing delivery agencies.

However, according to dawn delivery drivers, extending the limit from 40 to 46 hours does not change the fact that their income will decrease and working conditions will worsen.

Since most dawn delivery drivers are self-employed, many choose to work more than 52 hours a week, and some even work six days per week to more evenly spread the workload. Drivers say that restricting both working hours and days will reduce income and make it difficult to handle fixed delivery volumes.

A Coupang delivery worker moves packages at a warehouse in Seoul on Dec. 16, 2025. [NEWS1]

A survey of 2,000 drivers conducted by the Coupang Partners Association found that 91.5 percent opposed limits of 40 or 46 hours a week for dawn delivery work.

“If working hours are reduced, I will have to take on a second job or quit delivery work and look for something else,” one dawn delivery driver said. “And if we are forced to deliver a fixed volume in a shorter amount of time, the labor intensity will increase, and the risk of accidents will grow.”

Big-box retailers that decide to offer dawn delivery will also be subject to the same time limits if they use parcel delivery companies and agencies.

Even so, the retail industry is welcoming the move. The ruling party, the government and the presidential office agreed at a high-level policy meeting on Sunday to pursue revisions to the Distribution Industry Development Act to allow dawn delivery by big-box retailers.

Prices of online goods could fall as competition between big-box retailers and e-commerce companies intensifies. There are also concerns that a limit on dawn delivery hours will force the industry to hire additional workers, leading to higher delivery fees for consumers.

Experts warn that regulations introduced without fully reflecting on-the-ground voices may result in side effects.

“Allowing dawn delivery by big-box retailers will reshape the online and offline distribution market and enhance consumer convenience,” said Park Young-bum, a professor of economics at Hansung University. “But limits on dawn delivery hours can also reduce work opportunities for drivers, worsen labor shortages and lead to higher logistics costs or delivery disruptions, with the burden ultimately falling on consumers.”

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.
BY LIM SUN-YOUNG, NOH YU-RIM [[email protected]]