Following Coupang, Market Kurly Also... Distribution Industry Strengthens Quarantine Measures at Logistics Centers

On the morning of the 27th, when confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) surged at Coupang's Bucheon Logistics Center in Gyeonggi-do, health authorities were conducting specimen tests on a citizen at a screening clinic set up in the outdoor parking lot of Bucheon City Sports Complex. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Hyewon] Following the Coupang Bucheon Logistics Center, confirmed cases of COVID-19 have also emerged at Market Kurly's Seoul Jangji-dong Logistics Center, causing the e-commerce and distribution industries to become highly tense. They are strengthening quarantine measures at logistics centers and remain on high alert.

According to Kurly, the operator of Market Kurly, on the 24th, a day laborer, Mr. A, who worked at the Ambient 1 Center in Jangji-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, tested positive for COVID-19 on the same day. Kurly has completely closed the Ambient 1 Center and begun disinfection work. They also plan to place employees who may have come into contact with the confirmed case under self-quarantine.

The number of confirmed cases related to the Coupang Bucheon Logistics Center has rapidly increased, reaching 36 as of the afternoon of the same day. Testing is underway for all 3,600 logistics center employees, and health authorities have left open the possibility of additional confirmed cases.

With the COVID-19 crisis leading to increased contactless consumption through online delivery, the e-commerce and distribution industries, which had been enjoying a boom, are now highly alert following the Coupang and Market Kurly incidents. As consumer concerns about the possibility of infection through delivery packages grow, there are forecasts that the entire online delivery market could potentially shrink.

The industry has stepped up hygiene management at logistics centers.

SSG.com, which operates nationwide logistics centers with systems similar to Coupang, has increased disinfection work on delivery vehicles from once a day to twice a day (once in the morning and once in the afternoon) starting from the 25th, when the Coupang Bucheon Logistics Center incident occurred. Since February, when the COVID-19 crisis began, SSG.com has implemented strict controls at the ‘Neo’ online store logistics center, including restricting external access, recording visitors and checking temperatures of partner companies and external visitors upon entry and exit. Entry is prohibited without wearing a mask. Additionally, disinfection supplies and masks are provided to delivery drivers, thermal cameras are installed throughout Neo’s internal routes, and thermal sensors are placed not only at logistics center entrances but also throughout the work areas as part of quarantine protocols.

Wemakeprice (WEMAKEPRICE) is also increasing the frequency of disinfection in consultation with logistics center contractors and is conducting temperature checks for all employees, as well as campaigns for mask distribution and wearing.

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