Chanel Store Employee Tests Positive for COVID-19... Is the Department Store Operating Normally?

Chanel logo. Photo by Chanel

[Asia Economy Reporter Nana Han] An employee at the Chanel store in Shinsegae Department Store's main branch tested positive for COVID-19, but the department store did not suspend operations and continued normal business as usual.

On the 30th, due to the confirmed COVID-19 case, the Chanel store at the Shinsegae main branch closed early and conducted disinfection.

However, the department store, including other stores on the same floor as the Chanel store, operated as usual like a typical weekend.

The Chanel employee who tested positive had worked until the 28th and reportedly did not come to work afterward due to feeling unwell.

Chanel opened at around 10:30 AM on the 30th but immediately suspended operations upon receiving news of the employee's positive test. All Chanel store employees were tested.

A Chanel representative stated, "Some customers entered, but the COVID-19 positive employee did not come to work today, and as soon as we were informed of the employee's infection, we conducted disinfection of the store."

Chanel said it received business approval from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and plans to reopen the store with replacement staff on the 31st and operate normally.

The news of the confirmed case at the Chanel store in Shinsegae Department Store's main branch was spread online by customers who were waiting for the so-called 'open run' (rushing to buy items as soon as the store opens).

Chanel faced complaints for not informing customers who had received waiting tickets and left their spots before the store opened that operations would be suspended due to the confirmed COVID-19 case. Chanel sent text messages about the confirmed case to some customers late in the afternoon.

The Chanel store is located on the 1st and 2nd floors of Shinsegae Department Store, and other stores on the same floor and throughout the department store operated normally as on a typical weekend that day.

Netizens who learned of this criticized Shinsegae Department Store for being passive in its quarantine measures.

Shinsegae Department Store explained, "A professional service company conducts disinfection daily."

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