Working parents challenge ban on dawn delivery

Working parents say overnight delivery is essential to daily routines, labor groups highlight health risks for drivers.

Korea’s dawn delivery services are drawing renewed attention after a public petition opposing possible restrictions gained thousands of signatures, following online speculation that the system may be curbed to address working-condition concerns for couriers.

The petition posted on the National Assembly’s public petition platform has received more than 5,000 signatures since it was uploaded on Thursday. In it, a working mother raising two children wrote that dawn delivery had become “an important means of sustaining daily life” for families who return home late at night and rely on overnight delivery for groceries and school-supply orders.

“When supermarkets are closed, it is often the only way to get school supplies and breakfast for our children before they leave for school,” she wrote, urging lawmakers to consider “what citizens truly need” before making any changes to the system.

Screenshot of a petition posted on the National Assembly's public petition platform, which has received more than 5,000 signatures as of Sunday.

The debate over overnight parcel delivery intensified after a union representing delivery workers suggested during a government-led dialogue in late October that stakeholders consider limiting deliveries between midnight and 5 a.m. to reduce fatigue and health risks for night-shift drivers.

The union clarified it did not propose banning dawn delivery, but media reports and online discussions sparked public concern that the service could be phased out.

Dawn delivery, offered by major e-commerce companies like Coupang, allows orders placed at night to arrive before sunrise. The service is especially popular with dual-income households. According to industry data, Coupang’s Rocket Wow subscription — offering rapid and overnight delivery for about 7,900 won ($6) per month — has more than 14 million users, or roughly one-third of South Korea’s population.

Labor advocates argue that night work poses serious health and safety risks. The World Health Organization classifies night-shift labor as a Group 2 carcinogen, and studies have linked overnight courier work to increased sleep disorders and cardiovascular stress. Delivery unions have long called for better rest guarantees and logistical support.

However, some drivers warn that cutting overnight hours could reduce earnings for those who rely on or prefer night shifts. Logistics companies have echoed these concerns, pointing to possible consumer inconvenience and job losses.

Government officials have not announced any plan to restrict dawn delivery. They say discussions will continue through the social dialogue process, involving labor unions, logistics firms, consumer representatives and related ministries.

South Korea boasts one of the world’s fastest logistics markets, and dawn delivery has become a standard feature in major cities. Any changes to delivery hours could significantly impact both the e-commerce sector and daily life for many households.