[E-Daily Reporter Kim Hyung-wook ] While the ruling party is pushing for the “Early Morning Delivery Restriction Act,” a survey has found that more than 8 out of 10 night workers want to maintain or increase their current number of night shifts. The research team that conducted the survey suggested that a policy is needed that takes into account both workers’ income and health, as a blanket restriction on night work could lead to additional work to compensate for lost income.

The Korean Academy of Business Administration presented the findings of a study titled “Comparison of Work Environments by Occupation Among Labor Providers and Night Workers, and Policy Recommendations” at its fall academic conference held at Konkuk University on the 6th. The findings are based on a survey conducted last month of 940 workers across 10 industries, including distribution and sales, manufacturing and production, freight transportation and courier services, logistics centers, security, and hospitality and tourism.

74.8% of respondents said they wanted to maintain their current frequency of night shifts. 11.7% said they wanted to increase it; combined, these two responses accounted for 86.5%. Conversely, 13.5% said they wanted to reduce the frequency.

94.4% of respondents said they had voluntarily chosen to work night shifts. The most common reason cited was “higher pay” (48.8%), followed by “to cover living expenses or meet necessary income” (25.9%) and “insufficient income from daytime work alone” (6.9%).

Concerns about a decline in income due to restrictions on night work were particularly pronounced in the freight transportation and courier sectors. Among respondents in these sectors, 59.8% expected their monthly income to decrease by 1 million won or more if night work were restricted. Among freight transportation and courier workers who anticipated a monthly income loss of 1 million won or more, 84.3% said they were willing to take on a second job or additional work to make up for the loss. Among all survey respondents, 76.4% said they would take on a second job or additional work if their income decreased.

Based on these survey results, the research team pointed out that even if the frequency of night work is legally restricted, total working hours could actually increase if workers seek other jobs to make ends meet. They explained that, before imposing blanket restrictions, it is necessary to examine the specific characteristics of each industry and the degree to which workers depend on their income.

Currently, a legislative proposal led by the ruling party is being pushed through the National Assembly to protect the health of night shift workers by limiting working hours and the frequency of night shifts. The amendment to the Occupational Safety and Health Act, introduced by Representative Park Hong-bae of the Democratic Party of Korea on August 21, limits night work to a maximum of 10 hours per day, 3 consecutive days, and 12 times per month, and guarantees a minimum of 11 consecutive hours of rest after the shift ends. The amendment to the Act on the Development of the Daily Logistics Services Industry, proposed alongside it, includes provisions for protecting parcel delivery workers during night shifts, paying premium wages, and restricting work beyond collection and delivery duties. Both bills were referred to the Climate, Energy, Environment, and Labor Committee and the Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Committee, respectively, on the 24th of the same month and are currently pending.

Yoon Dong-yeol, President of the Korean Academy of Business Administration (Professor of Business Administration at Konkuk University), stated, “Rather than the uniform regulations on the number of working days and total working hours currently being discussed in the National Assembly, workers are voicing concerns about income reduction and the need to take on a second job,” adding "Since time limits mean a reduction in income for most night-shift workers, the legislative process must listen more closely to the voices of those directly affected and establish a proactive health management system, including guaranteed rest periods and expanded health screenings," he said.