[Unofficial translation provided by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]

“S. Korea: 883,000 platform workers...over 30% increase in three Years”, 5 August 2024

Last year, the number of platform workers in South Korea reached 883,000, accounting for 3.3% of the total employed population. This represents a substantial increase of more than 30% over the past three years. Factors contributing to this growth include advances in digital technology and a rising preference for flexible work arrangements…

… Among platform workers, those engaged in delivery and driving constitute the largest group, numbering 485,000. This figure marks a 5.5% decrease from the previous year's total of 513,000. The decline is attributed to a reduction in demand for delivery services as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has waned.

…There has been a notable increase in platform workers with advanced college degrees, rising from 299,000 to 389,000, an increase of 30.1%. This represents the largest growth rate among all education levels. This trend aligns with the expansion of IT and professional services sectors, which typically employ higher-educated individuals.

…Despite the increase in platform work, job satisfaction among these workers remains low… Kim Jong-jin, director of the Working Citizens Research Institute and Union Center….emphasized the need to scrutinize whether the current estimate of platform workers might be an underestimation. He also highlighted the necessity for targeted measures to address the needs of emerging platform work sectors…