South Korea has a highly developed food delivery system, comparable to that of Vietnam. However, the growing demand for delivery services, combined with labor shortages and the financial difficulties faced by international students, has contributed to an increase in unauthorized delivery work among foreign nationals.
According to the reported figures, 486 Vietnamese nationals were caught working illegally as delivery riders in South Korea between January and December 2025. During a separate enforcement campaign conducted by the Ministry of Justice from January to May 2026, 734 foreign delivery riders were caught working illegally, including 444 Vietnamese nationals, accounting for approximately 61% of the total.
Behind these figures lies a complicated reality involving South Korea's delivery industry, immigration regulations, and the financial pressures faced by international students.
1. South Korea's Delivery Industry and Its Growing Demand for Workers
South Korea has one of the most developed food delivery systems in Asia, with delivery services widely available throughout the country.
Delivery riders can earn approximately 45,000–110,000 VND per delivery, depending on the distance traveled.
Unlike in some countries where consumers bear most of the delivery costs, delivery fees in South Korea are frequently shared or subsidized by restaurants and delivery platforms. This allows consumers to use delivery services without facing a significant additional financial burden, contributing to consistently high demand.
Vietnam also has a well-established delivery industry, with major platforms such as Grab, Be, and Shopee providing food delivery and other transportation services. The widespread use of motorcycles in Vietnam is a significant advantage for its delivery industry.
In South Korea, however, delivery services are operated by a relatively limited workforce.
Delivery work is considered one of the more dangerous occupations and is not generally preferred as a long-term career by many South Koreans. Instead, many people work as delivery riders while temporarily unemployed, as part-time workers, or to earn additional income alongside their primary jobs.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for delivery services increased dramatically.
Faced with a growing shortage of delivery riders, delivery agencies began recruiting foreign workers, particularly those who had already entered South Korea on employment visas.
Foreign nationals holding appropriate employment visas can legally work for delivery agencies when their visa conditions permit such employment.
However, problems began to emerge when international students started borrowing South Korean citizens' identification documents to work as delivery riders without authorization.
2. Vietnamese Nationals Caught Working Illegally as Delivery Riders
According to the reported enforcement figures, 486 Vietnamese nationals were caught working illegally as delivery riders in South Korea between January and December 2025.
From January to May 2026, the Ministry of Justice conducted a concentrated enforcement campaign targeting foreign nationals working illegally as delivery riders.
During this period, a total of 734 foreign nationals were caught, including 444 Vietnamese nationals, representing approximately 61% of all cases.
Many of those involved were reportedly international students or foreign nationals holding D-10 visas, whose employment activities are subject to immigration restrictions.
International students in South Korea are generally permitted to work between 20 and 30 hours per week, depending on their visa conditions, Korean language proficiency, and other eligibility requirements.
However, the income generated from these limited working hours is often insufficient to cover the cost of living in South Korea.
3. How Much Can International Students Earn in South Korea?
For an international student permitted to work 30 hours per week, the following calculation illustrates the income available from part-time employment.
Assuming a minimum hourly wage of 10,320 KRW (approximately 195,275 VND), a student working 30 hours per week would earn:
Estimated earnings
Weekly income (30 hours)
309,600 KRW
Approximately 5,860,000 VND
Monthly income (120 hours)
1,238,400 KRW
Approximately 23,430,000 VND
These calculations assume four weeks of employment per month and a student who meets the requirements to work 30 hours per week, such as the applicable Korean language proficiency requirements.
The cost of living in South Korea is approximately two to three times higher than in Vietnam, making it difficult for international students to cover rent and daily expenses using part-time employment income alone.
Housing costs are particularly high in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area.
Even a small single-room apartment may cost approximately 300,000 KRW (6,000,000 VND) per month.
After paying rent, food expenses, transportation costs, and other living expenses, students may find themselves with very little money remaining.
For students who do not have access to university dormitories, maintaining a financially stable life can be particularly challenging.
As a result, some international students take on additional jobs without reporting them to immigration authorities or ask their employers for permission to work beyond their authorized hours.
Many employers understand that international students face financial difficulties and may allow them to work an additional four or five hours, paying their wages in cash as a way of accommodating their circumstances.
However, these arrangements can violate immigration and employment regulations.
4. Problems Associated With Unauthorized Delivery Work
The financial pressures faced by international students and the labor shortages experienced by delivery agencies have contributed to the growth of unauthorized delivery work among foreign nationals.
However, this situation has also created several problems.
1. Traffic accidents and insurance coverage
Delivery riders face a considerable risk of traffic accidents involving vehicles, pedestrians, and other road users.
When an unauthorized delivery rider is involved in an accident, insurance coverage may be unavailable or insufficient, making compensation for victims difficult.
Foreign nationals caught engaging in unauthorized employment may face immigration penalties, including visa cancellation, deportation, or restrictions on future entry into South Korea, depending on the circumstances of their cases.
Fearing these consequences, some unauthorized delivery riders may attempt to flee the scene of an accident rather than report it to the authorities.
This creates additional risks for accident victims and makes it more difficult to establish responsibility and obtain compensation.
2. Communication difficulties and service quality
Some international students working part-time as delivery riders have limited Korean language proficiency.
As a result, they may experience difficulties communicating with customers over the phone or coordinating deliveries with restaurant owners.
These communication barriers can lead to misunderstandings, incorrect deliveries, delays, and other service-related problems.
However, such difficulties are not universal among foreign delivery workers and depend on individual language proficiency, training, and experience.
3. Unfair accusations and online witch hunts
Delivery work is also performed by South Korean citizens, and foreign nationals who meet the relevant immigration and employment requirements can legally participate in the industry.
However, because some South Koreans are aware that unauthorized employment violates immigration regulations, foreign delivery riders may become targets of complaints or reports to the authorities.
In some cases, even legally employed foreign workers are reported without sufficient evidence.
These workers may be required to visit police stations or immigration offices and prepare documents proving that their employment is lawful.
The time and effort required to respond to such accusations can impose an unfair burden on workers who have not violated any regulations.
Because there is often no one responsible for compensating them for the time lost during these procedures, legally employed foreign workers may suffer unnecessary financial and personal difficulties.
5. The Difficult Reality Facing Delivery Agencies and International Students
South Korea's growing demand for delivery services has created labor shortages that some delivery agencies struggle to overcome without recruiting foreign workers.
At the same time, international students facing financial difficulties may view delivery work as an opportunity to earn enough money to support themselves.
This creates a difficult situation in which delivery agencies need workers and international students need income.
However, financial hardship and labor shortages do not exempt either party from complying with immigration and employment regulations.
One possible argument is that international students should simply be allowed to work legally without such strict limitations.
However, South Korea's student visa policies are designed primarily to allow foreign nationals to pursue their education rather than enter the country for employment purposes.
For this reason, employment restrictions cannot simply be adjusted according to an individual student's financial circumstances.
International students are generally expected to receive financial support from their families when their part-time employment income is insufficient to cover their living expenses.
However, the reported employment figures suggest that many international students rely heavily on part-time work, indicating that the financial burden of studying and living in South Korea may be considerable.
Conclusion
The issue of unauthorized delivery work among Vietnamese nationals in South Korea is not simply a matter of immigration violations.
It also reflects the financial difficulties faced by international students, labor shortages in the delivery industry, and the challenges of balancing educational opportunities with immigration regulations.
While unauthorized employment can create legal and social problems, legally employed foreign workers may also suffer from unfair accusations and discrimination.
Ultimately, the situation illustrates the difficult reality faced by international students who must balance their education, living expenses, and employment restrictions while adapting to life in South Korea.
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