[Edaily Reporter KYUNG GYEYOUNG ] CJ Korea Express ( CJ LOGISTICS(000120)) announced on the 10th that it has designated the 14th and 15th as “Courier Rest Days” and has notified its clients, nationwide delivery centers, and couriers of this decision.

As approximately 20,000 CJ LOGISTICS delivery drivers nationwide will be taking two days off starting on the 14th, the company will suspend the pickup of perishable, refrigerated, and frozen foods—items with a short shelf life—starting on the 13th, and will gradually resume normal deliveries starting on the 16th.

Introduced in 2020 through consultations between the government and the logistics industry, “Parcel Delivery Rest Days” is a joint leave system in which the entire industry takes time off together. The purpose is to allow delivery drivers to rest without worrying about work gaps, as the entire industry—rather than specific companies or individuals—takes time off collectively. CJ LOGISTICS has participated in the program for seven consecutive years since its inception and also observes three days off for both the Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays in addition to “Parcel Delivery Rest Day.”

The response on the ground has been positive. In a survey conducted by CJ LOGISTICS on June 6 and 7 among its delivery drivers, 92.3% of the 4,763 respondents answered positively regarding the industry’s collective day off, selecting options such as “maintain the current level” or “include the Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays as days off.” Responses favoring “reducing or abolishing the day off” or “leaving it to industry discretion” accounted for only 7.7%.

An increasing number of delivery drivers are using “Delivery-Free Days” as a time to recharge with their families. When asked about their plans for this year’s “Delivery-Free Days,” 56.7% of respondents said they would “spend time with family and friends,” while 38.5% indicated they planned to “rest and recharge personally.” When asked about the greatest significance of the delivery industry’s day off, “spending time with family” was the most common response at 45.5%, followed by “rest and recovery from fatigue during the summer heat” at 37.2%. This suggests that the delivery industry’s day off has established itself as a representative collective rest system that takes into account both family time and health during the summer heat.

When asked what they were most satisfied with while working at CJ LOGISTICS, respondents cited “reduced workload through the expansion of automation systems” (41%) and “an environment conducive to long-term employment” (35.9%). Among welfare and support programs, the “health screening support program” showed the highest satisfaction rate at 53.6%. CJ LOGISTICS was the first in the industry to introduce a health screening program for delivery drivers in 2013 and has been operating it for 14 years now; this year, the company is continuing to strengthen its health management support by introducing AI-based ECG analysis, among other measures.

A CJ LOGISTICS spokesperson said, “We are grateful to our client companies and consumers for their understanding of ‘Delivery Drivers’ Day,’” adding, “We will continue to respect the industry’s shared culture of rest and make ongoing efforts to create an environment where delivery drivers can work in a healthier and more stable manner.”