Gov't tightens grip on illegal foreign delivery riders amid nearly 17-fold surge in cases

The government is tightening enforcement against illegal foreign delivery work in South Korea amid a sharp rise in cases. The Ministry of Justice and other agencies plan joint crackdowns, stronger identity checks and closer oversight of delivery agencies and platforms. International students caught working illegally in restricted sectors such as delivery will generally face deportation or a departure order. The measures follow 1,132 foreign nationals being caught working illegally in delivery from January to August, about 16.9 times last year’s total.

The Ministry of Justice discussed a joint response with the transport, employment and labor ministries, the National Police Agency and the Korea Coast Guard.

Planned investigations include organized illegal hiring and brokering, unlicensed driving and unauthorized use of accounts registered under other people’s names.

The transport ministry is set to receive enforcement data from immigration authorities and take action against delivery platform operators and others subject to fines.

Only foreign nationals with certain visas, including F-2, F-5 and F-6 visas, can work in delivery, while student visa holders are barred even with part-time work permits.

At a parliamentary audit, a delivery rider testified that another person could use an account if its holder shared the verification number.

Published Nov 2, 2026 7:00 am KST

Delivery riders wait for customers who ordered food near Yeouido Hangang Park in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, Sept. 5. Yonhap

The government is moving to tighten enforcement against foreign delivery riders working illegally and the delivery company systems that let them slip through, amid a nearly 17-fold surge in the number of violators caught.

Last week, the Ministry of Justice said it held talks with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the National Police Agency and the Korea Coast Guard on a joint government response to illegal delivery work by foreign nationals.

To root out the practice, the justice ministry plans to step up joint crackdowns with the police agency and expand cooperation in investigating related offenses, such as organized illegal hiring and brokering by delivery agencies, unlicensed driving and the unauthorized use of accounts registered under other people’s names.

Seoul targets illegal foreign delivery riders as numbers quadruple over 2 years

Illegal employment of foreign workers surges in delivery sector

The justice ministry also plans to work with relevant agencies to build an identity verification system for riders, improve systems for managing and inspecting delivery agencies and encourage the industry to prevent illegal practices.

The transport ministry is set to receive enforcement data on illegal employment and other violations from immigration authorities and take action against delivery platform operators and others subject to fines.

The Korea Immigration Service will tighten penalties for international students caught working illegally in restricted sectors such as delivery. In principle, they will face deportation or a departure order regardless of how many times they are caught.

Immigration offices nationwide plan to carry out intensive enforcement drives against immigration violators in 69 areas and workplaces with security concerns. They will also work with police and local governments to crack down on violations such as illegal paid transport and unlicensed driving, and step up joint patrols in crime-prone areas.

The measures come amid a sharp rise in foreign nationals caught working illegally in the delivery sector. Data released by Rep. Kim Gi-pyo of the Democratic Party of Korea at last month’s parliamentary audit showed that 1,132 foreign nationals were caught working illegally in the delivery sector from January to August this year, about 16.9 times more than the 67 caught throughout last year.

Only foreign nationals with certain visas, such as F-2 resident, F-5 permanent resident or F-6 marriage immigrant visas, can work in delivery. Student visa holders are barred even with part-time work permits.

Baemin, Korea’s largest food delivery platform, came under fire at the audit over its responsibility for managing accounts and partner companies.

Kim cited ads from some of Baemin’s delivery partners saying foreign nationals barred from delivery work could still work after a consultation and be paid under other people’s names. A delivery rider who appeared as a witness testified that others can use an account if its holder shares the verification number, pointing to loopholes in identity checks.

Meanwhile, the problem has also spilled over into tensions between foreign and Korean riders. Last month, a Korean delivery person received a suspended sentence on a fine for pushing a foreign delivery worker in Seoul’s Seongbuk District earlier this year, after suspecting him of using another person’s account.

The Korean confronted the foreign worker, asking why foreign nationals were doing delivery work. The foreign national had indeed been delivering under another person’s name at the time but was not in Korea illegally, according to investigators.

鉴于非法外籍人士在韩国从事外卖工作的案件数量激增，韩国政府正加大力度打击此类行为。司法部及其他相关部门计划联合开展打击行动，加强身份核查，并加强对快递公司和平台的监管。在诸如外卖等限制行业非法工作的国际学生通常会被驱逐出境或被勒令离境。此前，今年1月至8月，共有1132名外籍人士因非法从事外卖工作被抓获，约为去年同期的16.9倍。

司法部与交通运输部、雇佣劳动部、国家警察厅和韩国海岸警卫队讨论了联合应对措施。

计划调查的内容包括有组织的非法雇佣和中介活动、无证驾驶以及未经授权使用以他人名义注册的账户。

交通部将收到移民局提供的执法数据，并对配送平台运营商和其他应处以罚款的人员采取行动。

只有持有特定签证（包括 F-2、F-5 和 F-6 签证）的外国公民才能从事送货工作，而学生签证持有者即使持有兼职工作许可也被禁止从事送货工作。

在议会审计中，一名外卖员作证说，如果账户持有人分享了验证码，其他人就可以使用该账户。

发布于2026年11月2日 上午7:00（韩国标准时间）

9月5日，在首尔永登浦区汝矣岛汉江公园附近，外卖员等待顾客取餐。（韩联社）

由于被抓获的违法者人数激增近 17 倍，政府正着手加强对非法工作的外国外卖骑手以及放任他们钻空子的外卖公司系统的执法力度。

上周，司法部表示，已与国土交通部、雇佣劳动部、国家警察厅和韩国海岸警卫队就外国公民非法送货工作采取联合政府应对措施进行了会谈。

为了根除这种行为，司法部计划加强与警方的联合打击力度，并扩大在调查相关犯罪方面的合作，例如快递公司组织非法雇佣和中介、无证驾驶以及未经授权使用以他人名义注册的账户等。

首尔严查非法外籍外卖骑手，两年内骑手数量翻了四倍

外籍劳工在快递行业的非法雇佣现象激增

司法部还计划与相关机构合作，建立骑手身份验证系统，完善配送机构管理和检查制度，并鼓励业界防止违法行为。

交通部将收到移民局提供的有关非法雇佣和其他违法行为的执法数据，并对送货平台运营商和其他相关人员采取行动，处以罚款。

韩国出入境管理厅将加大对在诸如送货等限制行业非法打工的国际学生的处罚力度。原则上，无论被抓获多少次，他们都将面临遣返或离境令。

全国移民局计划在69个存在安全隐患的地区和工作场所开展针对移民违规者的强化执法行动。他们还将与警方和地方政府合作，严厉打击非法有偿运输和无证驾驶等违法行为，并加强在犯罪高发地区的联合巡逻。

这些措施出台之际，正值外国公民在快递行业非法打工的案件数量急剧上升。韩国民主党议员金基杓在上个月的国会审计中公布的数据显示，今年1月至8月，共有1132名外国公民在快递行业非法打工被查处，约为去年全年被查处人数（67人）的16.9倍。

只有持有特定签证的外籍人士，例如F-2居民签证、F-5永久居民签证或F-6婚姻移民签证，才能从事送货工作。学生签证持有者即使持有兼职工作许可也不允许从事送货工作。

韩国最大的食品配送平台 Baemin 在审计中因其对账户和合作伙伴公司的管理责任而受到抨击。

金某援引了部分外卖合作伙伴的广告，称被禁止从事外卖工作的外国人可以通过协商以他人名义继续工作并领取报酬。一名出庭作证的外卖员表示，只要账户持有人分享验证码，其他人就可以使用该账户，这指出了身份验证方面的漏洞。

与此同时，这个问题也蔓延到了外籍和韩国骑手之间的紧张关系。上个月，一名韩国外卖员因怀疑一名外籍外卖员盗用他人账号，于今年早些时候在首尔城北区推搡该外籍骑手，最终被判缓刑并处以罚款。

韩国人质问这名外籍劳工，为什么外国人会从事送货工作。调查人员称，这名外籍劳工当时确实是以他人的名义送货，但他在韩国并非非法居留。