“[Low-wage trap, Series 4] the irresistible lure of night work… workers trading their lives for income”, 2 April 2026

Since Curly launched its “dawn delivery” service in 2015, competitors such as Coupang and Shinsegae have followed with similar early-morning delivery models. (…) According to the Labour Standards Act on 2 April, night work is defined as work carried out between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Workers performing night work are entitled to receive at least a 50% premium on their ordinary wages. (…)

Higher pay was closely tied to longer working hours. Average weekly working hours stood at 39.7 hours for non-night workers, compared with 47.5 hours for night workers. As many as 41.3% of night workers reported working more than 10 hours per day. The proportion of shift work among night workers was also significantly higher, at 58.9%, compared with just 2.4% among non-night workers — nearly 30 times higher.

A 58-year-old delivery platform worker, identified only as A, who joined the sector in 2021, recently switched to night shifts. Lunchtime hours, when delivery fees are higher, are highly competitive, while evening hours are marked by severe traffic congestion. Leaving home around 5 p.m. and returning at about 3 a.m., A described night work as “lawless”. Risks are pervasive, including vehicles running red lights and drink-driving. Last winter, A slipped on black ice and injured an ankle, forcing a temporary break from work.
Although A strongly prefers day shifts, he said he cannot give up night work due to the need to maintain his income.

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The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization (WHO), classifies “night and shift work” as a carcinogenic risk factor.

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Labour groups stressed the urgent need to establish systems to protect night workers. (…) “At present, there are only health guidelines for night work, but no binding legislation. Working hours should be regulated on a weekly and monthly basis.” …