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Coupang to ground Rocket Delivery on Election Day so workers can vote

Published: 29 May. 2025, 18:48

Coupang delivery trucks are parked in Seoul on May 7. [YONHAP]

In a rare move for a company known for relentless speed, Coupang will pause its Rocket Delivery service on June 3 — the day of Korea’s presidential election — to allow its delivery workers to vote.

The decision marks the first suspension of Rocket Delivery since the e-commerce company launched its next-day service in 2014, and comes after mounting pressure from labor and civic groups demanding that workers be granted time to participate in the democratic process. Industry sources say the halt affects roughly 20,000 delivery personnel.

Coupang Logistics Services, the e-commerce company’s logistics subsidiary, notified its contracted delivery outlets via email on Thursday that it would not assign daytime deliveries on June 3, in response to calls from labor and civic groups demanding voting rights for workers.

The decision aligns Coupang with other major couriers such as CJ Logistics, Hanjin, Lotte Global Logistics, Logen and Korea Post, which have already announced breaks for their drivers on Election Day to safeguard their right to vote.

As a result, Coupang’s directly employed delivery workers, known as "Coupang Friends," will receive a paid day off as full-time employees. Independent contractors affiliated with other delivery outlets will not be assigned any parcels for that day.

Daytime personnel working at Coupang’s logistics bases, known as “camps,” will also be off duty.

While Coupang’s “fulfillment centers,” which manage and store parcels, will suspend operations related to daytime deliveries, they will continue handling tasks such as product intake and other logistics functions as usual.

Delivery trucks of e-commerce giant Coupang are seen in this file photo taken Feb. 26. [YONHAP]

With daytime deliveries paused, demand for early-morning services — which are fulfilled before 7 a.m. the next day — is expected to surge, with delays possible.

Coupang plans to notify customers of these changes through its mobile app and other customer communication channels.

The national delivery workers’ union under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions issued a statement on Thursday, hailing the move.

“Coupang’s decision to halt daytime operations on Election Day marks a historic first step toward realizing delivery workers’ right to vote, a responsibility demanded by Korean society,” read the statement.

“This should not be a one-off break, but a starting point for restructuring the system to prevent deaths from overwork,” the confederation added, calling on Coupang to ensure that nighttime or next-day workers do not bear the burden of postponed deliveries.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY LEE HAY-JUNE [[email protected]]