The Seoul High Court has issued a landmark ruling recognizing the worker status of delivery riders working through platforms like delivery apps. Labor groups have noted that this decision allows many delivery workers employed by subcontractors to contest their worker status.
On July 3, the 38-1 Civil Division of the Seoul High Court overturned a lower court's ruling that had determined a rider did not qualify as a worker under the Labor Standards Act. The court ruled in favor of the rider, who had filed an appeal against a delivery service company regarding wrongful termination and wage claims.
The appellate court stated that if a rider provides labor under a dependent relationship, such as following the company's directives through a platform application, they should be considered a worker. It highlighted that the specific rules set by the platform company dictated how the labor was performed and that compensation was determined according to the company's standards, indicating a clear supervisory relationship.
The Public Transport Union emphasized, "This is the first ruling to recognize the worker status of delivery workers. Until now, delivery workers have been working in a subordinate position to platform companies without being acknowledged as workers. This ruling opens the possibility for many delivery workers at subcontractors to assert their rights and claim worker status."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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