Banks Also Breached... COVID-19 Spreads in the Banking Sector

Bank Employees at NongHyup, Kookmin, Shinhan, and Others Confirmed Positive One After Another

Due to the impact of COVID-19, Jonggak Youth Street was quiet on the weekend of the 23rd. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Min-young] The novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is spreading within the banking sector. As major bank employees have contracted COVID-19, branch closures are occurring one after another, and employees who worked alongside confirmed cases are continuing self-quarantine. There are growing concerns that direct operational damages are becoming a reality.

According to the banking sector on the 24th, on the 19th, NH Nonghyup Bank closed its Dalseong-gun branch after an employee was confirmed positive for COVID-19. Subsequently, on the 20th, the Duryu branch, Seongdang branch, and Chilseong-dong branch in Daegu also closed one after another as a preventive measure against the spread of COVID-19.

Alternative branches are operating. Nonghyup Bank stated that the Dalseong-gun branch is being replaced by the Daegu Sales Department, the Duryu branch by the Pyeongri branch, the Seongdang branch by the Naedang-dong branch, and the Chilseong-dong branch by the Chimsan branch.

On the 21st, Sh Suhyup Bank also reported a confirmed case. An employee at the Daegu branch of this bank tested positive for COVID-19, leading to a temporary closure. Employees at risk of infection were placed under self-quarantine.

KB Kookmin Bank and Shinhan Bank also confirmed cases among employees working at the Daegu Chimsan-dong branch and the Gyeonggi Seongnam Industrial Complex Financial Center, respectively. Both banks instructed all employees at the affected branches to self-quarantine for 14 days and initiated disinfection of the branches. From that day, substitute staff were deployed to resume operations.

A security guard at the Daegu Catholic University Hospital branch of DGB Daegu Bank also tested positive in the first COVID-19 test. Daegu Bank closed the branch and conducted emergency disinfection. Earlier, on the 21st, Daegu Bank temporarily closed its branch located in Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center. This was due to Dongsan Medical Center being designated as a national COVID-19 exclusive hospital, resulting in the discharge of all inpatients.

Each bank is also strengthening disinfection efforts at their branches. Banks are disinfecting ATMs, door handles, water purifiers, and other facilities daily, and have made mask-wearing mandatory for all employees.

In particular, they are focusing on disinfecting ATMs frequently used by unspecified large numbers of customers. Major banks disinfect ATM screens and intercoms with disinfectants more than twice daily. Woori Bank has distributed disinfectants for ATMs to branches nationwide. Shinhan Bank is paying special attention to managing airport ATMs.

Bank officials unanimously report that the number of customers visiting branches has significantly decreased since the outbreak of COVID-19. An official from a commercial bank said, “The number of visitors to branches has decreased by more than one-third compared to before the COVID-19 outbreak,” adding, “The decrease is even greater for branches located in busy commercial areas.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.