Park Jae-hyuk is a seasoned journalist who has provided comprehensive coverage of South Korea's corporate dynamics, economic policies, industry challenges and the global positioning of Korean companies. Based on the articles he has written since joining The Korea Times in 2016, his investigative approach has helped readers understand corporate governance, economic trends and business strategies shaping South Korea’s economy.
Domino's workers under surveillance of 'GPS Tracker'
An ad for Domino's Pizza's new GPS Tracker service launched in Korea this week. / Courtesy of Domino's Pizza
By Park Jae-hyuk
Pizza deliverers forced to disclose personal data
By Park Jae-hyuk
Domino's Pizza has come under criticism for its GPS Tracker service the pizza giant launched here recently in cooperation with SK Broadband.
The service, which allows customers to track the process of their pizza deliveries in real time from start to finish with GPS, has caused controversy in Korea about possible surveillance of workers and invasion of their privacy.
Some deliverers allege Domino's forced them for several months to agree to use the service that discloses their personal data, such as photo, name and mobile phone number.
Also, they claim employers can trace the locations of deliverers in real time, even if they are not on duty, given the service uses GPS installed in the deliverers' smart devices, not their delivery scooters.
“My employer told me to quit my job if I would not agree to use the GPS Tracker,” a Domino's Pizza worker wrote on the internet in February, two months before the company announced the service's launch. “The manager forced me to sign a document to agree with the disclosure of my photo and phone number.”
Domino's has defended itself, saying the service is legal.
The company said 100 stores under the head office's direct management have already adopted the service, and the others will adopt it soon.
Critics point out deliverers might have no choice but to agree with their employers, due to the lack of a labor union to support them.
Before its launch in Korea, GPS Tracker has been available in Australia and Japan for the past few years.
When Domino's came up with the service in Australia in 2015, the company claimed the technology could enhance the safety of its deliverers.
“With GPS Driver Tracker, Domino's has been able to make sure our drivers are always driving within the speed limit and we can also measure the harshness of driving,” the company's Australian office said at that time. “As a result of the invention of the Domino's GPS Driver Tracker, we've been able to reduce our accidents by 50 percent.”
Korean pizza deliverers, however, are concerned about the expected pressure from consumers and employers, who can check their locations in real time.
“We have to deliver pizzas for three homes at once during peak time, so consumers may complain about the order of deliveries,” another Domino's worker said.
Some people said the service reminds them of the past when accidents with delivery drivers were rampant.
Until 2011, Domino's Korean branches offered discounts for pizzas that were not delivered in 30 minutes.
Its phone number's last four digits, 3082, refer to 30 minutes and “ppali-ppali,” which means “quickly” in Korean.
Pizza deliverers had to drive fast because they were responsible if the delivery was late.
After the death of an 18-year-old pizza deliverer, who crashed into a bus in 2010, Domino's Korean office abolished the policy, which had already been abolished in the U.S. in 1993.