Photos by @junmichaelpark @seoulphotographer for @nikkeiasia / In January I photographed Mr. Park Seung-hwan, a South Korean delivery driver for CJ Logistics.
Logistics and e-commerce companies across the world have seen their profit and value increase exponentially as people have been making more purchases online. However, delivery workers in Asia, the foot soldiers of the pandemic economy, are overburdened and underpaid.
Since last year, more than 15 South Korean delivery drivers have died due to health ailments caused by excessive working hours.
Mr. Park said he clocks 14 to 15 hours a day, six days a week. Delivery volumes spiked at the start of the pandemic and never came down. Meanwhile, companies have cut corners by hiring drivers as independent subcontractors, meaning they are neither eligible for benefits nor protected by the South Korean labor law that caps maximum working time at 52 hours a week. Mr. Park makes 800 Won (71 US cents) for each package that he delivers.
My photo of Mr. Park made the cover of the Nikkei Asia magazine last week. Many thanks to photo editor Ken Kobayashi for trusting me with this one. You can read the story here.
If you are interested in licensing the story or individual images, please visit my archive.
(Text editing by M.)