Unionized postal service workers have struck a deal with Korea Post on measures to prevent excessive workloads.

Under the agreement reached Friday, couriers will be freed from the burden of sorting parcels starting from January 1, 2022.

The move comes after other unionized delivery workers across the country and their employers reached an agreement Wednesday to prevent overwork in addition to their work hours being restricted to 60 a week.

The deals were reached in the wake of the deaths of 16 delivery workers last year who apparently succumbed to overwork amid increased demand for deliveries driven by the pandemic.