"Supporting Bed Shortage: LG Follows Samsung in Offering Training Center as Treatment Facility"

Support for Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Campus and Samsung C&T Research Institute
Treatment of Asymptomatic COVID-19 Patients at LG Inhwa-won

Samsung C&T Corporation Institute for International Business

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] Samsung Group and LG Group have rolled up their sleeves to address the shortage of hospital beds in the Seoul metropolitan area due to the resurgence of COVID-19.

According to industry sources on the 27th, starting from the 31st, Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Global Campus located in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, will be operated as a COVID-19 residential treatment center. Samsung had previously provided training centers in Yeongdeok and Jeonju during the COVID-19 outbreak in Daegu and Gyeongbuk last March.

The Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Global Campus residential treatment center, established to resolve the shortage of hospital beds in the metropolitan area, has a total of 180 rooms and will be used for treating and monitoring mild patients and providing living support in the metropolitan area.

Samsung plans to dispatch a team of specialized medical staff consisting of one doctor and two nurses from Samsung Medical Center hospitals such as Samsung Medical Center Seoul Hospital, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, and Samsung Changwon Hospital to the Global Campus, supporting continuously in a rotating work system. Additionally, Samsung will open the Samsung C&T International Business Institute in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, with 110 rooms as a residential treatment center next week to serve patients in the metropolitan area.

Earlier, 14 Samsung affiliates donated relief funds and supplies worth 30 billion KRW to the National Disaster Relief Association in the first half of this year to overcome COVID-19. To revitalize the domestic economy, they purchased and distributed Onnuri gift certificates worth 30 billion KRW and provided emergency funds totaling 2.6 trillion KRW to partner companies.

Samsung is also actively engaged in overseas COVID-19 relief activities. After the spread of COVID-19 in the United States, Samsung donated more than 4 million USD (approximately 4.75 billion KRW) to local communities in New Jersey, California, and Texas. In October, Samsung Electronics’ U.S. employees will participate in local volunteer activities. In January, Samsung donated relief supplies worth 30 million CNY (approximately 5.13 billion KRW), including medical masks and protective suits, to China, and in June, it transferred smart factory technology to a local mask manufacturer in Poland.

LG Group Training Center 'Inhwawon'

Following Samsung, LG also decided on the same day to provide the LG Inhwa-won training center as a residential treatment center for asymptomatic COVID-19 patients. The LG Inhwa-won located in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, has about 300 rooms, including studio-type rooms equipped with bathrooms.

The facility will be used as a residential treatment center where asymptomatic patients, who do not require negative pressure rooms or dedicated infectious disease facilities, can be isolated and receive treatment, following consultations with government authorities and local governments.

LG’s decision follows its provision of dormitories in the Gyeongbuk region as residential treatment centers last March and aims to support the current critical shortage of facilities where more than 80% of asymptomatic and mild patients among confirmed cases in the metropolitan area can live and receive treatment. The company expects this to help provide prompt and efficient treatment, especially as over 90% of confirmed patients in Gyeonggi Province have no hospital beds available and must wait at home.

Previously, LG operated facilities such as LG Display dormitories in the Gyeongbuk region as residential treatment centers for 45 days from last March, treating about 400 patients.

LG donated 5 billion KRW to the Community Chest of Korea to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and support damage relief. LG Electronics also provided 2,000 electronic masks it developed, 10,000 medical protective suits, 2,000 protective goggles, and 100,000 medical masks to frontline medical staff and hospitals. LG Electronics supplied health care home appliances such as dryers to quickly dry frequently washed medical gowns and surgical clothes, and LG Household & Health Care provided bottled water, toiletries, and disinfectant products.

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