DELIVERY DIFFICULTIES

[Anchor Lead]

An apartment complex in Seoul has banned delivery trucks from entering its ground level parking area. This was done to ensure residents' safety. Packages are being piled up at the entrance as most of the delivery trucks are too tall to enter the underground parking lot.

[Pkg]

Thousands of packages are piled up at the entrance of this apartment complex, home to nearly five thousand households. Couriers make phone calls to the residents asking them to pick up their parcels.

[Soundbite] (Courier(Apr. 1, VOICE MODIFIED)) : "It's frustrating. If any of the parcels get lost, we are the ones who must take responsibility."

This happened after delivery trucks were banned from entering the ground level parking area to avoid accidents. Five days later, the delivery workers began to move parcels in carts. They have no other choice as packages get wet when it rains, and the residents keep complaining.

[Soundbite] (Courier(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "(How long is it going to take?) I have to come back to pick up more parcels after delivering to each of the buildings. I have to walk a lot. I've already walked 20,000 steps."

The apartment's management office insists that delivery trucks park in the basement. However, most of them are 2.5 meters high, whereas the height of the underground parking lot is 2.3 meters. The residents are demanding that the couriers get new trucks.

[Soundbite] (Courier(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "(How much does it cost to get a lower truck?) About 3 million won. I have to pay out of my own pocket. Nobody is going to buy it for me."

Some of the residents are returning their parcels or criticizing delivery workers for causing inconvenience.

[Soundbite] (Resident(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "We have given them a one-year grace period. They are pretending."

Couriers say there is a way to resolve the issue.

[Soundbite] Kang Min-wook(Couriers' labor union) : "The trucks' speed can be lowered significantly using a safety device, or a special area can be set up for storing packages."

The couriers' labor union plans to investigate the matter and hold a press conference in front of the apartment complex on Thursday.