Restricting Early Morning Deliveries That Rob Workers` Freedom

The controversy surrounding early-morning delivery has reignited. As the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions’ parcel delivery union has proposed restricting “late-night delivery” between midnight and 5 a.m. on the grounds of protecting workers’ health, backlash is growing among consumers, small business owners, and companies on the ground. At its core, however, this debate is not merely about working hours—it is about how far society is willing to recognize labor autonomy and market freedom.

Workers’ health rights must be protected. But that objective should not be pursued in a way that infringes on the freedom to work. Those who prefer night work also have a legitimate right to choose their working hours. Institutional improvements to reduce risk are necessary, but if they result in a blanket “time-slot shutdown,” the outcome is not protection but interference. A society that deprives people of labor freedom ultimately reduces jobs and opportunities as well.

Early-morning delivery is no longer a simple convenience service. For households with infants, self-employed business owners, and residents of remote or rural areas, it has become a vital part of daily life. For small merchants who rely on online sales, it is quite literally a lifeline. Some studies estimate that suspending early-morning and seven-day delivery would reduce small business sales by approximately 18.3 trillion won and result in total economic losses of up to 54 trillion won.

No matter how noble the justification for regulation may be, if its consequences undermine people’s livelihoods and economic activity, it cannot be considered sound policy. The regulation of large retailers’ operating hours over the past decade, for example, failed to protect small merchants and instead contributed only to the stagnation of offline retail. The current debate over restricting early-morning delivery follows the same pattern. When governments or organized groups intervene in markets in the name of the “public interest,” the result often turns out to be simultaneous restrictions on consumer choice and corporate autonomy—a lesson we have already learned.

The foundation of a market economy is autonomy. Transactions between consumers and businesses function most efficiently when they are based on voluntary choice. Yet recent regulatory trends are steadily eroding this freedom. Restricting early-morning delivery will reduce logistics efficiency and inevitably raise living costs for consumers and small businesses alike. In the end, the burden always falls on citizens—the very participants of the market.

The essence of sound policy lies in accurate targeting and proportionality. Improving unsafe working conditions is a legitimate goal. But the solution should not be a blanket ban. Instead, it should consist of practical measures such as distributing workloads, strengthening shift systems, guaranteeing adequate rest periods, and expanding health screenings. Above all, we must remember that the fundamental solution lies not in prohibition, but in improvement through efficiency and competition.

Accordingly, what the government should do now is not impose more regulation, but create the right environment. Ensuring freedom of contract between platform companies like Coupang and delivery workers, while fostering a market environment that promotes competition and innovation, is the government’s proper role. Banning early-morning delivery and tightening platform controls amount to excessive intervention—one that does not even reflect the preferences of those directly involved, including delivery workers themselves.

Labor derives its value from freedom. Protecting health rights and preserving the freedom to work are not mutually exclusive goals; they are compatible values. Rather than being swayed by the demands of particular groups, the government must remember its responsibility to respect autonomy and diversity in the platform market.

Seung-no Choi
President, The Center for Free Enterprise

Korean version: https://www.cfe.org/bbs/bbsDetail.php?cid=press&pn=1&idx=28255