Deepening Industry 'Shutdown Fear'... Mobilizing AI Systems for Total Containment Efforts

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[Asia Economy Reporters Sohyeon Park, Gimin Lee] As confirmed cases of COVID-19 continue to surge at major domestic and international corporate sites such as Samsung, LG, and SK, fears of a 'COVID shutdown' are intensifying once again. With large corporations shutting down not only production lines but also office buildings one after another, they are deploying AI-powered quarantine systems to counter the shutdown situation.

According to the industry on the 25th, employee A working on the first floor of the LED Technology Building in the K1 area of Samsung Electronics' Giheung Campus tested positive for COVID-19 that morning. Employee A came to work the previous day but went home after feeling a slight fever and then underwent a COVID-19 test. Samsung Electronics immediately closed the workspaces and movement paths in the Technology Building where the confirmed case worked, conducted emergency disinfection measures, and identified contacts to instruct them to self-isolate at home. There was also a confirmed COVID-19 case at the LED Technology Building of Samsung Electronics' Giheung Campus on the 21st.

The SK Group headquarters in Seorin-dong, Jongno-gu, was also closed for the day on the 25th due to an employee testing positive for COVID-19. This employee had come to the Seorin building on the 20th and was confirmed to have worked remotely afterward. In response to the resurgence of COVID-19, SK Group introduced a work-from-home system starting last week and conducted a full disinfection of the office building over the past weekend, so they consider the risk of further infection to be significantly low. GS Construction and Coupang also closed their headquarters and began disinfection after employees tested positive.

Confirmed COVID-19 cases are also rapidly increasing at overseas business sites, leading to repeated closures. Approximately 200 local employees at LG Electronics' Indonesia factory were collectively infected with COVID-19. LG Electronics decided to close the site until the 30th after about 200 local employees at its Cibitung production subsidiary in West Java, Indonesia, tested positive. The LG Electronics Cibitung factory produces displays such as TVs and is currently undergoing work to relocate part of the TV production line from Gumi, Korea. At LG Chem's Poland site, five employees recently tested positive for COVID-19. Since the confirmed cases are office workers, production line operations are reportedly unaffected, but concerns about further infections remain.

Companies are striving to minimize the impact of COVID-19 shutdowns by adhering to basic quarantine rules and building enhanced quarantine systems. LG Display recently strengthened the outdoor air conditioning systems at all its sites?including Paju and Gumi plants, Magok Research Center, and Yeouido Twin Tower?to prevent indoor virus transmission. Additionally, the number of AI facial recognition thermal imaging entry gates installed at the Paju and Gumi plants and Magok Research Center was expanded from seven to 22. At SK Innovation's Ulsan CLX plant, protective suits have been stocked at production sites to enable uninterrupted 24/7 operation throughout the year.

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