At a logistics depot the size of an airplane hangar in southern Seoul, couriers recently held a ritual at the start of another grueling work day: They stood for a moment of silence to remember more than a dozen fellow couriers who they say died this year from overwork.

"We won’t be surprised here if one of us drops dead, too,” said Choi Ji-na, one of the couriers.

Choi, 43, and other delivery workers in South Korea say that they feel lucky to have jobs amid growing unemployment, and that they are proud to play an essential role in keeping the country’s COVID-19 cases down by delivering record numbers of packages to customers who prefer to stay safe at home.