CJ Logistics designates Friday-Saturday as 'delivery rest days' for 20,000 couriers

CJ Logistics announced Monday that it has designated Aug. 14 and 15 as "delivery rest days," giving roughly 20,000 couriers across the country time to rest, recharge and spend time with their families.

In preparation for the break, CJ Logistics will halt pickups of perishable items — including fresh, refrigerated and frozen products — starting Thursday. Deliveries will resume gradually from Sunday. Clients, regional distribution centers and couriers have already been notified of the schedule.

The delivery rest day is an industry-wide collective holiday, separate from individual couriers' personal leave. Introduced in 2020 through consultations between the government and the logistics industry, the initiative is designed to let couriers take a break without worrying about falling behind on work. CJ Logistics has participated every year since the program launched, marking its seventh consecutive year this year.

Support from couriers on the ground is strong. In a survey conducted Thursday and Friday ahead of the rest days, 92.3 percent of the 4,763 CJ Logistics couriers who responded expressed positive views toward the industry-wide holiday — saying it should be maintained at its current level or even extended to cover the Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays. Only 7.7 percent said the holiday should be reduced, abolished or left to individual companies to decide.

Couriers also appear to view the rest days as more than just a day off. When asked about their plans, 56.7 percent said they would spend the time with family or friends, while 38.5 percent said they planned to rest and recharge on their own.

When asked what the rest days mean most to them, 45.5 percent cited "time with family" as the top answer, followed by 37.2 percent who said "rest and recovery during the peak summer heat." Falling in mid-August, when temperatures typically peak, the industry-wide break has become an established collective rest program that addresses both family time and the health risks of working through the hottest part of the year.

In the same survey, couriers were also asked what they find most satisfying about working at CJ Logistics. The expansion of automated systems to reduce physical workload ranked first at 41 percent, followed by a stable long-term working environment at 35.9 percent.

Among welfare and support programs, the health checkup support program drew the highest satisfaction at 53.6 percent. CJ Logistics introduced courier health checkups in 2013 — the first in the industry to do so — and has run the program for 14 consecutive years. This year, the company added AI-based electrocardiogram analysis as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen health management support.

"We are grateful to our clients and customers for their understanding of the delivery rest days," a CJ Logistics official said. "We will continue to respect the industry's collective rest culture and work to create an environment where couriers can do their jobs in a healthier and more stable way."