'Acesonbo Call Center-Originated' Community Infection Continues for Four Days... Insurance Companies and Call Center Operators Are Reluctant to Explain 'Structural Issues'

'Guro Ace Insurance Call Center' Operating Entities

Ace Insurance & Metanet Mplatform

Passive Response to 'Structural Issues' Despite Cluster Infection

On the afternoon of the 11th, officials from the Guro-gu Facilities Management Corporation are conducting disinfection work at the bus stop in front of the Korea Building in Guro-gu, Seoul, where multiple COVID-19 cases have been confirmed. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] The cluster infection of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the 'Ace Insurance Call Center' in Guro-gu, Seoul, is at a crossroads of spreading into the local community. Four days have passed since the first confirmed case, but Ace Insurance and Metanet Mplatform, the call center's entrusted operator, who should explain the 'structural issues' that could have caused the cluster infection such as the dense structure inside the call center, mask non-wearing, and employee management problems, are consistently maintaining a passive stance.

◆ "Just having the company name come out is damaging"... Insurance company and operator respond passively to call center issues = On the 12th, Ace Insurance and Metanet Mplatform have not issued any statements regarding the 'Ace Insurance Call Center cluster infection' through press releases, websites, or SNS (social network services). Both Ace Insurance and Metanet Mplatform only respond to individual reporters' questions through written inquiries.

Ace Insurance initially said on the 10th, the day after multiple confirmed cases were disclosed, "Due to many inquiries from the press regarding the call center, we will organize the information and release a press statement," but changed their position on the 11th, stating they would respond to individual questions. Questions are received through a PR agency commissioned for the company's promotional work. Despite multiple calls to the headquarters, they repeatedly said, "We will check (regarding the call center issue)."

The call center operator, Metanet Mplatform, is equally passive. When requested to disclose COVID-19 response measures related to the call center through press releases due to inefficiency in responding to individual inquiries from reporters, a PR office official said, "Having the company name appear in articles itself can cause damage, so we are cautious," adding, "What good will it do if this keeps coming up? Only our company will be mentioned." They continued, "We worked hard on the COVID-19 response," and "The sudden increase in confirmed cases was because of proactive measures."

◆ Call center employees showed symptoms such as fever since the end of last month... How was employee management handled? = Meanwhile, health authorities and local governments have identified that employees of the 'Ace Insurance Call Center' showed symptoms such as fever and sore throat since the end of last month but continued to come to work. This raises concerns about employee management during the COVID-19 spread phase.

Employee A (53), living in Mapo-gu, felt a sore throat, a COVID-19 symptom, on the 28th of last month but went to work normally at the call center. Afterward, A did not come to work for five days but returned on the 5th and 6th wearing a mask. A was confirmed positive on the 10th. Employee B (48), a resident of Yangcheon-gu, appeared to have symptoms on the 29th of last month but continued normal attendance, received hospital treatment, and visited a funeral home, maintaining daily life for over a week. B was confirmed positive on the 10th.

C (52), living in Gwanak-gu, also had symptoms such as fever from the 29th of last month but worked normally. C was finally confirmed positive on the 10th. D (51), living in Guro-gu, had a fever on the 2nd, visited a hospital, and did not come to work in the morning the next day due to illness but came in the afternoon. D was confirmed positive on the 9th.

Considering that the first confirmed case (confirmed on the 8th) in Nowon-gu showed symptoms such as shoulder muscle pain on the 7th, it is possible to infer that cluster infection within the call center had already been progressing before the 7th.

According to other media reports, Metanet Mplatform created work guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and shared them with each center, ensuring compliance. Hand sanitizers and thermometers were placed in each call center, temperatures were measured twice daily, and if abnormalities were detected during temperature checks, employees were instructed to stay at home.

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