Park Neung-hoo: "69 Confirmed Cases at Coupang Logistics Center... 'If Sick, Rest' Rule Not Followed" (Update)

The company signboard is hung on the exterior wall of the Coupang Bucheon Logistics Center building in Ojeong-dong, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do.

[Asia Economy Reporters Choi Dae-yeol and Kim Heung-soon] As of the morning of the 28th, 69 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) have been reported in connection with the Coupang logistics center in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province. Despite repeated requests from authorities to strictly follow quarantine guidelines to prevent cluster infections, many patients have emerged due to violations.

Park Neung-hoo, the 1st Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for COVID-19 (Minister of Health and Welfare), said before the meeting on the day, "In the metropolitan area, infection routes are diversifying through workplaces, academies, karaoke rooms, pubs, and more," adding, "Regarding the Bucheon logistics center, 69 confirmed cases have been reported as of today."

The quarantine authorities and the city have temporarily set up a screening clinic at Bucheon Sports Complex and provided medical personnel support. Diagnostic tests are being conducted on all visitors who have been to the site since the 12th, including the period when the first confirmed patient worked there. According to the city, as of the previous day, 4,015 people were directly related to the logistics center, but with additional confirmed cases among local call center employees and their contacts who visited the logistics center, the number of people subject to testing has increased to about 4,300.

Park Neung-hoo, First Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of Health and Welfare, left), is speaking while presiding over the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on the response to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) at the Government Sejong Complex in Sejong City on the morning of the 28th.

Deputy Head Park said, "Due to the nature of the logistics center, where intensive labor is performed in a short time, it appears that workplace mask-wearing and quarantine rules such as 'stay home if sick' were not properly followed," adding, "To minimize cluster infections, management of high-risk facilities must be strengthened and daily quarantine rules must be observed." He requested that those whose movement paths overlap with confirmed patients, considering the facilities and times visited by confirmed cases disclosed by the quarantine authorities including the Coupang logistics center, undergo diagnostic testing.

At the meeting, they planned to discuss the status of school reopening classes that started the previous day, measures for additional confirmed cases in the metropolitan area, plans for quarantine inspections of logistics facilities, and the collection and disclosure status of clinical epidemiological information of COVID-19 patients. As revealed in the Coupang logistics center case, considering the high density and difficulty in following quarantine rules in logistics centers, they discussed measures to inspect other workplaces in similar situations.

Deputy Head Park said, "Churches and medical institutions that strictly follow daily quarantine rules such as mask-wearing and social distancing have seen almost no additional transmission, but small events like first birthday parties, religious small group meetings, and academy classes where rules are not properly followed continue to produce confirmed cases," adding, "A single person's negligence is threatening the safety of students who returned to school after three months."

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