Industrial accident approvals for delivery workers, who experience accidents while making forced deliveries, have nearly tripled over the past five years.
According to data received from the Korea Workers' Compensation & Welfare Service (K-COMWEL) by People Power Party lawmaker Kim Wi-sang, a member of the National Assembly's Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee, on the 12th, industrial accident approvals in the parcel delivery industry rose from 561 cases in 2021 to 1,516 cases last year.
Among last year's approvals, accidents accounted for 1,341 cases (88.5%), making up the majority. They were followed by diseases with 103 cases (6.8%) and commuting with 72 cases (4.7%).
By disease type, musculoskeletal disorders were recognized in 87 cases (84.4%), and cerebrocardiovascular diseases were recognized in 13 cases (12.6%).
Musculoskeletal diseases, unlike accidents that occur suddenly, refer to cases where illness arises from accumulated work.
Industrial accidents due to cerebrocardiovascular diseases are often caused by excessive workloads.
Industrial accident approvals in the parcel delivery industry have been increasing every year, with 692 cases approved through May this year. Approvals for deaths from industrial accidents total 7 this year.
There were 10 cases in 2021, 11 in 2022, 11 in 2023, 9 in 2024, and 14 last year, with around 10 industrial accident deaths in the parcel delivery industry recognized each year.
Industrial accidents among delivery workers are largely attributed to a surge in nighttime and late-night deliveries driven by the industry's speed competition, including same-day delivery, dawn delivery, and seven-day delivery.
Kim Wi-sang said, "Despite various government measures, the sharp increase again last year in industrial accident deaths in the parcel delivery industry shows that existing policies remain out of touch with reality and have failed to identify structural causes," adding, "The government must move beyond regulation-only policies and establish practical prevention measures."