Public petition against early morning delivery ban garners 27,000 signatures in two weeks

A public petition opposing a potential ban on early morning delivery services has garnered over 27,000 signatures in about two weeks.

Coupang delivery vehicles are seen parked at a logistics center in Seoul on Aug. 6. [YONHAP]

A public petition opposing a potential ban on early morning delivery services has garnered over 27,000 signatures in about two weeks.

As of 1 a.m. Friday, a petition titled “Opposition to Ban or Restriction on Early Morning Delivery” (translated) had received more than 27,300 signatures since it was made public on the National Assembly’s petition platform on Nov. 13.

The petitioner, who described herself as a working mother raising a middle and elementary school student, wrote, “My husband and I are exhausted every day juggling late work hours and parenting. For working parents who come home late, early morning delivery isn’t just a convenience — it’s a lifeline.”

“After the supermarkets close at night, our kids tell us they need paint for school or that they’ve lost their recorder,” the petitioner continued. “It’s frustrating, but we can’t blame the kids. We just have to make sure they have what they need — and early morning delivery makes that possible.”

“Early morning delivery has become an essential part of daily life,” she went on. “Banning it outright is not the right approach. It would only cause greater inconvenience and social conflict.”

The petition, which runs until Dec. 13, will automatically be referred to the National Assembly's relevant standing committee if it reaches 50,000 signatures.

Delivery workers hold a rally at a venue in Gwanghwamun on Nov. 23. [NEWS1]

Former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon promoted the petition on Facebook, encouraging public participation.

The social dialogue committee on parcel delivery, which initially sparked the debate over restricting early morning delivery, held its third round of talks on Friday. The meeting included the Democratic Party’s Euljiro Committee, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, delivery companies such as Coupang, Market Kurly and CJ Logistics, as well as representatives from the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and Federation of Korean Trade Unions.

However, the committee has drawn criticism for excluding certain key stakeholders — such as consumers, small business owners and non-union delivery workers — from the discussions, despite the central focus being early morning delivery services.

The Coupang Partners Alliance (CPA), which represents 10,000 contracted Coupang delivery drivers, said in a statement, “If the main agenda is early morning delivery, it’s critical that those directly involved in operations are included. CPA should not just be an observer, but a formal participant in the talks.”

Some voices have also argued that rather than banning early morning delivery outright, a compromise should be sought — one that maintains the service while ensuring delivery workers’ health and labor rights are protected.

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 JEONG HYE-JEONG [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]