Court Rules Delivery Riders Are Employees in First Ruling of Its Kind

A ruling legally recognizing delivery riders as employees has been finalized. As the company did not submit an appeal by the deadline on the 28th of last month, the ruling was finalized on the 29th.

The 38-1 Civil Division of the Seoul High Court issued a partial victory for the plaintiff in an appeal lawsuit filed against a delivery platform operator regarding unfair dismissal and wage claims on the 3rd of last month. Unlike the lower court, the appellate panel recognized Mr. A's status as a worker.

The Public Transport Workers' Union announced on the 30th of last month that the court judgment recognizing delivery riders as employees under the Labor Standards Act has been finalized. In a statement released that day, the union declared that the legal status of delivery riders as workers has been finally confirmed, calling for a reconsideration by the Minimum Wage Commission and advocating for strengthened employment accountability from platform companies.