The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is set to inspect delivery service contracts for violations. The ministry plans to take strict action if unfair contract practices that circumvent the intent of standard contracts are identified.
On July 15, the ministry announced it would conduct nationwide inspections following reports of irregular contracts at some delivery service locations, including agreements that specify continuous work without days off.
The ministry aims to protect the rights of delivery workers and establish fair market practices by inspecting locations suspected of violations. If any infractions are confirmed, the ministry plans to issue improvement orders and impose fines in accordance with relevant laws.
Since June, the ministry has mandated the use of standard contracts or contracts based on standard templates for delivery service agreements. These contracts must include key provisions to protect delivery workers, such as service areas, contract duration, and duties.
However, recent findings indicate that while some contracts meet the superficial requirements of standard contracts, there are instances of unfair clauses being added through separate agreements or indirect methods that lead to prolonged continuous work. The ministry views these practices as undermining the intent of the standard contract mandate.
The nationwide inspections will be based on field reports, starting with suspected irregular contracts at delivery service locations in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province.
Additionally, the ministry plans to gather feedback from the field to improve the system and prevent circumvention of standard contracts. If necessary, revisions to the standard contracts will be considered.
Concerns about long working hours in the delivery industry have been repeatedly raised, highlighting the need for a management system that examines not only the contracts but also any separate agreements to ensure the standard contract system operates effectively.
Shim Ji-young, the ministry's logistics policy director, stated, “We are closely monitoring operational cases that may undermine the intent of the mandatory provisions of the standard contract system as it becomes established in the field.”
She added, “Through this nationwide inspection, we will rigorously correct instances of non-compliance and continuously improve the system to eliminate circumvention practices after consulting with stakeholders.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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