Authorities in South Korea have uncovered hundreds of foreign nationals working illegally as delivery riders by using other people’s mobile application accounts, as the government intensifies enforcement in the rapidly expanding platform-based delivery sector.
According to the Ministry of Justice, a total of 734 foreign riders and 16 delivery agencies were identified during a nationwide crackdown carried out between January and May.
The figure marks a sharp rise, nearly 11 times higher than the 67 cases recorded over the whole of last year.
Officials said many of those caught were working beyond the limits of their visa permissions or without proper authorization.
Investigators also found that numerous riders had been using delivery app accounts registered under other individuals’ names in order to bypass verification systems.
Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho said, “We will strengthen investigations not only into foreign nationals working illegally as delivery riders, but also into brokers who provide accounts under other people’s names,” adding, “We will work with related agencies and platform companies to block the conditions that allow illegal delivery work to continue.”
By nationality, Vietnamese workers accounted for the largest group with 444 cases, representing 61 percent of the total, followed by 164 Chinese nationals and 86 Uzbek nationals.
The ministry reported that more than half of those apprehended—410 individuals—were international students holding D-2 visas and enrolled across 96 universities. Others included overseas Koreans with F-4 visas and job seekers under D-10 visa status.
As part of enforcement actions, 68 individuals were ordered to leave South Korea, including deportations, while 643 others were fined a combined 1.63 billion won ($1.06 million). Authorities also noted that 20 cases remain under investigation, with two referred to prosecutors and one fugitive handed over to police.
Investigators further discovered that 15 foreign riders had been operating without valid driver’s licenses, and these cases will also be referred to law enforcement following additional review.
The probe also revealed that some delivery agencies were effectively running a rental system for app accounts. In one case in Seoul, an agency owner allegedly rented out accounts obtained from an acquaintance to 67 foreign riders, charging between 200,000 and 250,000 won per month for each account. That case has already been forwarded to prosecutors with a recommendation for indictment without detention.
In another instance, a foreign national holding a D-9 trade management visa allegedly used a Korean citizen’s delivery account to work in Gangnam for about one year and seven months, earning approximately 52 million won before police referred the matter to prosecutors with a similar recommendation.
Additional cases were reported in cities including Seoul, Bucheon, Daejeon, and Sejong, where agency operators allegedly rented Korean-registered accounts to foreign riders in exchange for weekly payments, monthly fees, or commission-based arrangements.
One delivery agency operator in Daejeon was also accused of providing accounts to 62 foreign riders, charging each around 150,000 won per month.
The Ministry of Justice said it has recommended that delivery platform companies adopt facial recognition technology for rider verification and tighten oversight of intermediary agencies. Officials also held discussions with platform operators in May to explore measures aimed at preventing unauthorized account sharing.
