$7,700 a month for deliveries? Courier’s pay stub stuns Korea office workers

A veteran courier’s claim of taking home 10 million won ($7,700) in monthly earnings has drawn wide attention and sparked debate online.

On Sunday, a post titled “Current CJ Logistics courier shares verified net income” was uploaded to an online community, along with photos of three pay slips. The writer said he works as an independent contractor for a courier company using his own truck.

Delivers six days a week, 62 hours — earns 9.3 million won monthly

According to the pay stubs, the writer earned between 2 million and 2.7 million won per month in pickup fees and 6 million to 8 million won in delivery fees over the past three months. After deducting CJ Logistics’ fees and fuel costs of around 300,000 won, his net monthly incomes came to 8.66 million, 8.96 million and 10.06 million won respectively — totaling 28 million won ($21,500) over three months, or about 9.33 million won per month.

He said he works six days a week, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and until 4 p.m. on Saturdays, totaling 62 hours per week. Substitute drivers cover Sundays and holidays. “Conditions vary greatly by area and individual,” he said. “But I usually get home around 8 p.m. after finishing delivery and freight pickup.”

‘No better job for honest, hard work’

He began delivering parcels 12 years ago after a failed business venture. His initial earnings were about 3 million won a month, but after purchasing his own vehicle a year into the job, his income increased significantly. With over a decade of experience, he now covers large apartment complexes and has stable clients.

“Working conditions have improved with the introduction of labor unions and sorting assistants,” he said. His fixed expenses include fuel, lunch and biannual VAT payments. “Fuel only costs around 250,000 won per month, and I use a government-issued fuel subsidy card,” he added.

“There’s no retirement age in this job — although it’s hard to do for long because it’s physically demanding,” he said. “But it’s honest money I earn through sweat. I can’t think of a better job.”

Average income across courier companies is 5.16 million won

Industry insiders pointed out that the courier's earnings far exceed the average and are influenced by his experience and status as a self-employed contractor.

According to a July 11 report by the Korean Society of Logistics Science and Technology, the average monthly income for 1,203 couriers working for six major companies — CJ Logistics, Lotte Global Logistics, Hanjin Express, Logen, Kurly and Coupang CLS — was 5.17 million won.

By company, average monthly income was Kurly at 5.78 million won, Coupang CLS at 5.70 million, Lotte Global Logistics at 4.99 million, Logen at 4.95 million, CJ Logistics at 4.94 million and Hanjin Express at 4.71 million.

More than 95 percent of couriers said they work six or more days per week, reflecting the industry’s de facto six-day workweek. Satisfaction with income ranged between 32.5 percent and 50.5 percent, depending on the company.

In an effort to reduce fatigue, courier companies will observe a “no-delivery day” during this month’s Liberation Day holiday. CJ Logistics and Hanjin will suspend deliveries on Aug. 14 and 15, while Lotte and Logen will pause services on Aug. 15 and 16. First introduced in 2020, the policy allows courier companies to voluntarily halt operations during holidays or national celebrations.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.