Samsung Giheung Plant and LG Seocho R&D... Major Companies Face Surge in Confirmed Cases 'High Alert'

LG Seoul Station Building Reports COVID-19 Cases at LG Electronics and LG Hausys Within Three Days
Widespread Spread to Major Corporate R&D Centers and Headquarters... Building Closure and Shift to Remote Work Tighten Quarantine Measures

On the 21st, a COVID-19 case was confirmed at the LG Electronics R&D Campus in Seocho-gu, Seoul, leading to restricted access to the workplace. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyewon] As the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) rapidly resurges mainly in Seoul and the metropolitan area, confirmed cases are surging even among major companies such as Samsung, Hyundai Motor, SK, LG, and POSCO. In particular, a large number of confirmed cases have emerged not only at production sites but also at key research and development (R&D) facilities and headquarters where business strategies are devised, causing significant disruptions to actual work and putting companies on high alert.

According to the industry on the 21st, one employee at Samsung Electronics' Giheung plant in Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi Province, tested positive for COVID-19 early that morning. Samsung Electronics' COVID-19 Emergency Response Task Force (TF) immediately sent a message stating, "An employee working in the LED Technology Building in the K1 area of the Giheung Campus tested positive for COVID-19," adding, "The workplace was a first-floor office space in the technology building unrelated to production, and both the location and the female dormitory cafeteria used by the confirmed employee have been closed."

Samsung Electronics completed disinfection measures at the location and along the confirmed employee's movement path and identified contacts to be quarantined at home. After an epidemiological investigation by health authorities, employees classified as close contacts will undergo COVID-19 testing. Within just one week, confirmed cases appeared at the Hwaseong plant (on the 14th) and the Seoul R&D Campus (on the 16th), leading to partial building closures and making normal operations impossible. Fortunately, production facilities are currently operating normally, but the threat of a shutdown remains a concern.

At LG Electronics' R&D Campus, confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported on consecutive days, resulting in the closure of the entire building. Following the previous day’s case at LG Electronics' Gasan R&D Campus in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul, an employee working at the Seocho R&D Campus tested positive on the morning of the 21st. LG Electronics disinfected the workplace of the confirmed employee and will keep the entire building closed until the weekend. Employees working on the same floor are working from home while undergoing testing, and some close contacts are required to work from home for two weeks regardless of test results. This has effectively paralyzed LG Electronics' R&D functions at two locations until the weekend.

At the LG Seoul Station Building located in Jung-gu, Seoul, after an LG Electronics employee tested positive leading to partial floor closures and a shift to remote work, two more confirmed cases emerged on different floors just three days later, casting a shadow of fear over the entire building. On the 19th and 20th, two LG Hausys employees working on the 19th floor of the LG Seoul Station Building tested positive for COVID-19. LG Hausys immediately conducted testing for employees who had close contact with the confirmed cases and shifted all headquarters employees to remote work.

Additionally, during the past week of COVID-19 resurgence, confirmed cases have been reported at LG Display’s Paju plant, Hyundai Motor’s Uiwang Research Institute, SK Hynix’s Icheon Campus R&D Center in Gyeonggi Province, and POSCO’s Gangnam POSCO Center, leading to partial building closures or urgent changes in work schedules.

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