'It eats away at my body': The human cost of S Korea's ultra-convenient overnight deliveries
The article examines the human cost of South Korea's ultra-fast overnight delivery culture, focusing on the death of a 27-year-old warehouse worker due to overwork. It highlights the systemic pressure on employees to maintain extreme delivery speeds and the ongoing national debate regarding labor conditions.
Why it matters
It sheds light on the hidden labor exploitation inherent in the global 'on-demand' economy and the physical toll of hyper-convenient consumer services.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, South Korea's huge delivery industry, powered by thousands of warehouse workers and riders, is under scrutiny
A week before her son died Park Mi-suk asked him to quit his job.
For more than a year, the 27-year-old had been working overnight shifts at a warehouse for the country's largest online retailer, Coupang. He steered pallet movers with stacks of plastic bins and cardboard boxes across the sprawling space.
In that time, Park says, her son lost 15kg and often complained of how tired he was.
But Jang Deok-jun refused to quit. He compared his job to being on a seesaw: if he stepped down, his co-workers would struggle to keep going.
The following week, Park found him unconscious and hunched over in the bath.
"We pulled him out and performed first aid. We rushed him to hospital, where they declared him dead."
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