734 foreign delivery riders caught using stolen accounts, an 11-fold increase

South Korean authorities have uncovered a significant surge in illegal activity within the delivery sector, apprehending 734 foreign individuals for operating delivery services using stolen accounts. This figure represents an elevenfold increase compared to the 67 individuals caught in the entire previous year.

The Ministry of Justice conducted a concentrated crackdown on "illegal foreign delivery riders" from January to May, identifying 734 foreign nationals and 16 delivery businesses. Under the Immigration Act, individuals with non-work-authorized visas engaging in commercial activities or exceeding their permitted scope of work face penalties.

Analysis from the Immigration and Foreign Policy Bureau suggests that the growth of the domestic delivery industry has coincided with an increase in illegal foreign entries. Vietnamese nationals constituted the largest group at 444 (61%), followed by Chinese (164, 22%), and Uzbek (86, 12%). Among the foreign residents, students on D-2 visas comprised the majority (410, 56%), alongside ethnic Koreans with F-4 visas (149, 20%) and job seekers on D-10 visas (99, 14%).

Of those apprehended, 68 were deported, and 643 were fined a total of 1.628 billion won (approximately $1.2 million USD). The ministry is also investigating 16 business owners who provided their delivery app accounts to foreigners. To combat this issue, the ministry has recommended that delivery platform companies introduce facial recognition systems for rider identification and is working with them to fundamentally address the environment that facilitates illegal deliveries.

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We will strengthen investigations not only into illegal foreign delivery riders but also into brokers who provide their identities, to prevent violations of national employment in the delivery sector. We will also cooperate with relevant agencies and platform companies to fundamentally block the environment that causes illegal deliveries.