Parcels pile up at a logistics center in Gwangjin District, Seoul, Thursday, ahead of the Seollal holiday. Yonhap

As Lunar New Year, also known as Seollal approaches, couriers in Korea are facing overwhelming delivery volumes, prompting them to apologize for the inconvenience of delivering packages late at night. These messages, shared online, have drawn sympathy and support from netizens.

On Jan. 22, a post titled "Couriers seem to be breaking down in real-time" began circulating on online communities and social media platforms. These included messages from delivery workers struggling to manage the surge in orders.

One message, shared on Jan. 21, read: "Due to the heavy volume, I am just leaving the center now. Deliveries may be completed around 2 a.m. I apologize for the significant delay and ask for your understanding."

The recipient, identified as A, shared the message on social media, expressing concern: "2 a.m. — is this even reasonable? Even if I say, 'It's okay to deliver it slowly,' it doesn't make a difference."

A courier's message on Jan. 21 reads deliveries may be completed around 2 a.m. due to heavy volume, requesting understanding for delays. Captured from an online community.

Another user, identified as B, shared a message sent to 420 customers by a courier: "Due to the massive surge in holiday orders, same-day delivery cannot be guaranteed. Please understand. I will politely decline calls to conserve my phone battery, as I need it for deliveries until dawn. I'm sorry." B commented, "This message broke my heart."

Netizens voiced their support and empathy, with comments such as: "I nearly screamed when I saw a delivery truck while coming home late last night," and "I want a world where it's okay for deliveries to take two weeks." Others suggested limiting daily delivery volumes to reduce the strain on workers.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, daily courier volumes are expected to reach 18.5 million boxes during the Lunar New Year period, up from the usual 17 million boxes — a surge of approximately 1.5 million.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.