'It eats away at my body': The human cost of S Korea's ultra-convenient overnight deliveries - BBC

What the report says

BBC News reports that South Korea’s overnight delivery system, which promises early-morning arrivals for orders placed late at night, is facing renewed scrutiny over the health and safety of the workers who make it possible. The report centers on Park Mi-suk, whose 27-year-old son Jang Deok-jun died of a heart attack in 2020 after working night shifts at a warehouse for Coupang, the country’s largest online retailer. South Korea’s workers’ healthcare insurer, Comwel, later found his death was linked to overwork.

The BBC says the issue has become part of a wider national debate as e-commerce and fast grocery delivery have expanded. Coupang, which grew rapidly after introducing overnight fresh food deliveries, now operates a large network of warehouses and trucks and employs nearly 100,000 people across its business. Comwel ruled that 46 warehouse and delivery workers died of work-related stroke or heart disease between 2020 and May 2026, though the BBC notes the available data does not show how many were on night shifts or how many cases involved formal overwork reviews.

The report also highlights competing views among workers. A subcontracted Coupang driver identified only as Kim told the BBC he works roughly 21:00 to 07:00, five or six days a week, and earns far above the national average, but said the job harms his body. Some unions have sought restrictions or a ban on overnight delivery, while a union representing Coupang drivers says many members prefer night work because it pays better and fits family obligations.

Coupang has denied accusations that it withheld evidence in Jang’s case and says it cooperated with Comwel. Police began investigating the company in December 2025 after a union complaint, according to the BBC.