"Confirmed COVID-19 Patient Spits in Store"... Customer's Abuse After Missing Delivery While Sleeping

A self-employed person posted a text containing a recording, claiming to have been abused by a customer infected with COVID-19. Photo by Online Community Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Soyoung] The owner of a handmade burger shop in Wonju, Gangwon Province, expressed frustration after being subjected to abusive behavior by a customer who claimed to be a COVID-19 positive patient.

Recently, a post titled "I was insulted and abused by a teacher who had COVID-19" was uploaded by the burger shop owner, Mr. A, on an online community, detailing the incident.

Mr. A explained, "On the 25th of last month at around 4:51 PM, I received an order for two hamburgers through a delivery app. At 5:16 PM, I arrived at customer B’s house and rang the doorbell, but there was no answer. I called seven times but got no response, so I left the order hanging on the door handle and sent a text message," describing the situation at the time.

He added, "After explaining the situation to the delivery app company, they told me to dispose of the order if the customer did not contact me within three hours, so I followed their instructions." He continued, "At 5 AM the next day, I received a threatening call from someone claiming to be a teacher infected with COVID-19, similar to the attached recording. They said they were COVID-positive and threatened to come to the store, spit, and shut down the business."

He also said, "Worried that B might come to the store, I reported the incident to the police, but their response was indifferent."

In the recording released by Mr. A, B mentioned, "I live alone with my dog, and when ordering delivery food, I always write a note asking not to knock on the door but to leave the food at the door and send a text because the dogs might bark." However, it was reported that no such note was included in the order Mr. A received.

B claimed, "Even while taking sleeping pills and sleeping, I checked intermittently if the delivery had arrived. When I woke up in the morning and it wasn’t there, I thought maybe I dreamed it."

Mr. A explained the delivery app’s policy, but B responded, "Should I be the one to claim this on the app? How can I answer the phone while sleeping?" B rambled, "I had sleeping pills sent quickly from the pharmacy, I couldn’t sleep well, and I have glaucoma and poor eyesight, so it’s very difficult." Then B raised their voice, saying, "I’m free now, so I have plenty of time and will even go to the headquarters."

When Mr. A asked, "Why are you so angry? Why call at 5 AM?" B, still agitated, said, "I’m a teacher, and when I get angry once, although I shouldn’t be angry at you (Ms. A), I’m very upset," and demanded, "Just cancel the order."

Mr. A replied, "We made the food and delivered it there. It’s not right to ask for a cancellation after a day. You didn’t receive it because you were sleeping. We knocked and contacted you. The fault lies with the customer."

Enraged further, B said, "I have corona, so should I take off my mask and cough there? I’m desperate." B threatened, "I haven’t been going to work lately. I’m very upset. Wait and see. I’ll report to the police and say you’re violating quarantine rules. I’ll come and spit all over the store, so just wait."

When Mr. A asked, "Are you a confirmed patient?" B shouted, "Yes. Do you know how sick I am? A student in my class tested positive, so I’m probably positive too. My fever hasn’t gone down, so I’m staying home. I’ll come to pick up the burger, and it will be reported that a confirmed patient visited your store today, so just wait."

When Mr. A called B’s behavior "obstruction of business," B said, "Don’t you feel very bad? I’ll go with the police."

When Mr. A pointed out the early morning calls, B raised their voice again, saying, "Whether a person making money sleeps at 1 AM or 5 AM, we have to do what we have to do."

Meanwhile, YouTuber 'Gujeok' who received the report from Mr. A claimed, "After filing a complaint with the education office, they said no teacher with that name exists. B is a former contract teacher, not a current one, but still committed this abusive behavior." He added, "No matter if they are a contract teacher, this kind of behavior is problematic."

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