Korea Finds 1,132 Foreign Nationals Working as Unauthorized Delivery Riders
Justice Ministry data presented at a parliamentary audit has exposed gaps in South Korea’s oversight of foreign delivery workers, account sharing and platform subcontractors.
South Korean authorities identified 1,132 foreign nationals working as delivery riders without proper authorization during the first eight months of 2026, highlighting enforcement gaps in the country’s rapidly expanding platform labor market.
The figure came from Justice Ministry data disclosed during a parliamentary audit by Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Gi-pyo. Kim said the actual number of unauthorized foreign riders could exceed 10,000, far above the number detected by immigration authorities.
Materials presented at the audit showed Vietnamese-language social media posts promoting delivery work to people entering Korea on student visas. Some posts offered motorcycles, information about schools where students could reportedly combine classes with delivery work, and advice on borrowing accounts registered with major food delivery platforms. One international student was said to have earned 3.3 million won, or about $2,460, per month by making deliveries for nine hours on weekdays and 12 hours on weekends.
The audit also raised concerns about the use of delivery motorcycles insured as personal commuting vehicles. Kim said authorities had found 37 cases of fraudulent insurance enrollment that resulted in 120 million won in payouts.
Criticism focused on an enforcement system that often targets individual riders but rarely reaches recruiters, account brokers or employers. A veteran delivery rider from Daejeon told lawmakers that he had repeatedly reported suspected account sharing but received no information about the outcome. He said limited immigration staffing across Daejeon and the Chungcheong provinces left complainants being redirected between immigration authorities and police.
Acting Justice Minister Lee Jin-soo acknowledged that immigration officers alone could not adequately police the activity. He said some offenses appeared organized and systematic, involving not only unauthorized employment but also account sharing and insurance fraud. Lee called for cooperation among immigration authorities, police and delivery platforms.
Questions also centered on whether large delivery companies exercise enough control over subcontractors. Kim alleged that foreign workers had been recruited through a partner company connected to Baemin, one of Korea’s biggest food delivery services. Kwon Oh-joong, chief executive of Baemin delivery operator Woowa Youths, said accounts are issued only to foreign nationals legally permitted to work. He nevertheless acknowledged the company’s responsibility to supervise partner firms, while noting that riders are engaged through an outsourcing structure rather than directly contracted.
The findings point to a broader regulatory challenge as app-based work grows. Effective enforcement will require verification of visa-based work eligibility, stronger controls against borrowed accounts and clearer responsibility across platforms and their subcontracting networks.