9 o’clock when the lights are off… ‘The last emergency exit for a living’ has been cut off even the job of surrogate driving.

Input 2021.01.29 18:01 | Revision 2021.01.29 18:05

“The word’I should run as a proxy’ is an old saying.’Call’ was almost cut off after 9 pm, so yesterday it was 20,000 won and the day before yesterday it was about 30,000 won.”

Mr. Choi, 45, who lives in Gangseo-gu, Seoul and works as a substitute driver, said, “After 9 o’clock when all restaurants and bars are closed, the call for proxy driving disappears like dust.” “There are a lot of days I can only do it,” he said.

As the third epidemic of coronavirus infection, which has continued since last year, step 2.5 of social distancing has been implemented, surrogate drivers are experiencing economic difficulties as their work is cut off. As the business hours of restaurants and bars are limited to 9 pm, the number of people holding various meetings has greatly decreased, and the demand for proxy driving has also decreased.

Recently, in online cafes related to proxy driving, “After the social distancing step 2.5 starts, only 2-3 calls come in at most” “There is no way out of life in the current situation” “What can be done during the day instead of driving by proxy There is a complaining about “I have to find a job, but it is difficult to find a part-time job.”

In fact, it was found that the income of surrogate drivers has decreased noticeably since the corona crisis. According to a survey conducted by the Korea Employment Information Service of 624 surrogate drivers, the income of surrogate drivers decreased by 15.7% from an average of 2.6 million won before the corona crisis to 2.19 million won last year.

As income is cut off due to the prolonged high-intensity social distancing, the number of surrogate drivers who are worried about’two jobs’ are increasing.

Mr. Kim Mo (38), a surrogate driver, said, “I was able to maintain a certain life while driving a surrogate until dawn, but now my income has decreased by more than half compared to before the implementation of step 2.5.” (Delivery agent) I’m looking to start working,” he said.

He added, “Recently, there are a lot of confirmed cases, and it seems that the 9:00 p.m. business restriction will be difficult to be lifted,” he added. “If you don’t have enough work as a substitute driver like now, you have to change your job as a rider to eat and live?”

It is not only because of the 9 o’clock business restriction that the surrogate driving workers have a hard time. The competition intensified as those who closed their shops or lost their jobs due to the corona crisis, which continued for a year from last year, turned their eyes to the job of surrogate driving. Since there are many people who will do with the reduced work, their income has become tighter than before.

Park Mo, 43, who runs a coin karaoke room, has also started driving by proxy since the end of last year. Mr. Park said, “There is no income, but the monthly rent, loan interest, and electricity bill continue to pass, so the money line was blocked and I started driving by proxy.” It’s frustrating because it’s not.”

A surrogate driver who requested anonymity also said, “I worked as a full-time job at a fairly large travel agency, but due to continuous business difficulties since last year, I eventually left the company and started driving by proxy.” He complained, “I started driving a surrogate with the feeling that I was going to stand up until I got a job again, but it wasn’t long before my agency work disappeared.” .