[Exclusive] NHRCK expresses opinion that Coupang should allow mobile phones in logistics centers

Human rights watchdog gives opinion after rejecting petition

By Park Gyu Jun

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) expressed an opinion that Coupang should revise its internal regulation banning workers from carrying their mobile phones to work zones in the company’s logistics centers.

During a meeting of the subcommittee for correction of discrimination on Tuesday, the NHRCK reviewed the petition against Coupang’s ban on carrying mobile phones to work zones in its logistics centers.

After rejecting the petition for inappropriate selection of comparators, the human rights watchdog expressed its opinion that it is unfair to prohibit workers from carrying their mobile phones. The NHRCK rejects a petition without judgment, if the petition does not fulfill formal requirements.

“It just means that we cannot handle this [Coupang case] as a discrimination case, according to the NHRCK Act. It does not mean that the guideline is fair enough [for us to dismiss the petition],” an NHRCK official said. “Our opinion is that Coupang should revise its internal regulation, so that workers can basically carry their mobile phones, unless there exists any special reason.”

The NHRCK’s latest decision was made a year after the Coupang union filed a petition in September last year to be allowed to use mobile phones at work zones in the company’s logistics centers.

Meanwhile, Coupang put emphasis on the NHRCK’s “rejection” of the petition, not on its “expression of opinion.”

*This was translated from the article originally written in Korean. For more accurate information, please refer to the original version by using the link below. In case of discrepancies between the two versions, the Korean version shall prevail.
https://n.news.naver.com/article/374/0000302592

[SBS미디어넷] 신입 및 경력기자 모집

네이버에서 SBS Biz 뉴스 구독하기!

저작권자 SBS미디어넷 & SBSi 무단전재-재배포 금지