Suspended airmail service amid pandemic draws consumer complaints

Korea Post staff sort out airmail packages at a local post office in Seoul in this 2007 photo. Korea Times photo

By Kim Se-jeong

Korea Post's suspension of its standard airmail services due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been drawing complaints from an increasing number of consumers who have to pay more to send mails or parcels abroad.

In April, Brother Anthony, the president of Royal Asiatic Society Korea, had to pay 33,000 won to send a small book to a friend in England. Before the coronavirus outbreak, it cost him only about 6,000 won.

The only explanation he had heard from the post office he use was: "Because no planes are leaving Korea because of the virus."

Six months afterwards, the situation hasn't changed much.

"For London, there are three direct flights leaving every day. But the clerk still repeats, 'because no planes were leaving Korea because of the virus," he told The Korea Times.

In March when countries closed their borders to prevent the spread of the virus, Korea Post halted standard airmail services without any explanation; but its expensive EMS delivery service was not suspended.

As of Oct. 5, standard airmail services are available for 11 countries: Malaysia, Vietnam, Italy, China, Thailand, the Philippines, Luxembourg, the Vatican, Bhutan, San Marino and Hong Kong.

Brother Anthony is among many others suffering financial loss and frustration.

"It's terrible. I sent a birthday card to my father in Canada, and it cost me 33,000 through EMS," one person wrote in reply to his recent Facebook posting.

The same frustration is felt among businesses. T. J. Kim who sells antique books and stamps recently had orders from Australia and the U.S., and shipped items through FedEx and EMS. "FedEx cost me more than 100,000 won. On average, each shipment with EMS costs me 30,000 won more now."

Customer complaints are expected to grow more as Christmas approaches.

"Foreigners living in Korea are now going to want to start sending Christmas cards and gifts," Brother Anthony said.

An official from Korea Post explained its efforts to secure space on aircraft haven't been successful.

"Although airline operations have resumed, the available space is limited and the mail isn't always a priority. When there are COVID-19 test kits or other humanitarian items, we have to wait," the official said.

She also said the increasing cost of transport was another reason for halting the services.

"Airline companies now ask for more money ― up to twice or three times more than before ― for transporting mail, and we can't afford it. As a public agency, we can't raise prices as we wish," the official said. Korea Post has been struggling with the rise in fast delivery services offered by private companies.

For EMS, a continued service is possible because Korea Post has an exclusive contract with airlines, including Korean Air, for a higher rate. For standard airmail, the post office changed contracts every six months depending on flight schedules.

The official said the situation will not improve in the near future, and asked customers to expect continued inconvenience. She also recommended considering surface mail which is transported by boat and can take up to a month.

"Although slow, surface mail can be an option," she said.

Meanwhile, the Korea Center for Disease Prevention and Control reported 75 new COVID-19 infections for Monday, pushing up the total number of cases to 26,807. Four additional deaths were reported, bringing the total to 472.

Forty-six were local transmissions, while 25 involved people who recently traveled abroad.

Kwon Joon-wook, the deputy director of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, explained 729 patients in Korea have received remdesivir which was the first globally authorized COVID-19 treatment, while 47 had received plasma transfusions.

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