A delivery rider carries food in Seoul, June 19, 2025. Newsis
With an increasing number of foreign nationals illegally working in delivery, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will launch a dedicated counseling and reporting channel in an effort to curb traffic safety risks and protect the livelihoods of domestic riders.
Delivery work is permitted for foreign nationals only under select visa categories, including long-term residency (F-2), permanent residency (F-5) and marriage immigration (F-6).
However, a growing number of foreign riders are illegally taking delivery jobs, the city said, raising concerns over income losses for domestic workers and traffic safety risks. According to the Ministry of Justice, the number of foreign nationals caught illegally working in delivery and courier services more than quadrupled from 117 in 2023 to 486 in 2025.
Following industry consultations, the city unveiled plans for a prevention and support-based approach, looking to strengthen counseling and guidance alongside enforcement.
Under the initiative, Seoul will operate dedicated counseling and reporting channels through the Seoul Labor Center, where full-time labor attorneys and other specialists will advise on eligible visa categories, reporting procedures, relevant authorities by violation type and applicable penalties. General inquiries can be directed to the 120 Dasan Seoul Call Center at 02-120. Counseling and reporting cases will be analyzed to identify root causes of illegal work and develop institutional remedies.
The city also called on major order platforms including Baemin and Coupang Eats, as well as delivery agency platforms including Barogo and Vroong, to tighten verification of foreign workers' eligibility and account management.
In a separate move, the city is also pursuing safety and working condition improvements for delivery riders, including new training courses developed with the Korea Transportation Safety Authority that come with safety equipment for those who complete the courses, and plans to expand rest facilities for mobile workers to 30 locations citywide.
“The illegal work of foreign delivery riders is a serious issue that undermines the rights of domestic workers and threatens public traffic safety,” said Lee Hae-sun, director general of the city's Citizens' Livelihood & Labor Bureau. “Seoul will work closely with central government agencies and delivery platforms to make every effort to ensure citizen safety.”
Source: Korea Times News
