Chain Infection Occurs at Luxury Store in Haeundae Shinsegae Department Store... 1,600 Customers Visited the Store at Centum City Branch

On the 28th, one store employee confirmed positive; on the 29th, two employees; on the 30th, two employees... plus five acquaintances

On the 30th, the domestic terminal of Gimpo Airport in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, was bustling with travelers as the peak summer vacation season began. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Ten people, including employees and acquaintances, were collectively confirmed positive for COVID-19 over three days at a luxury store in Shinsegae Centum City Department Store in Haeundae, Busan.

Since the store attracts large shopping crowds, there are concerns about a chain infection, and it is known that about 1,600 customers visited the store after the confirmed cases emerged.

Busan City announced on the afternoon of the 30th that 75 new COVID-19 cases were added that day.

The cluster infection occurred at the Shinsegae Department Store in Haeundae-gu on that day.

On the 28th, an employee at the department store’s luxury store was initially confirmed positive, leading to a contact investigation. On the 29th, two colleague employees, and on the 30th, two more colleague employees were consecutively confirmed positive. Five acquaintances of the employee were also confirmed positive.

Fifty-six employees of the store were quarantined, and so far, about 1,600 customers who visited the store have been identified.

Busan City disclosed the store as a ‘large-scale sales facility located in Haeundae-gu.’

A quarantine official said, “Large-scale sales facilities often have spacious areas and well-ventilated systems. Since a list of customers who used the facility has been secured, an investigation is underway. If there is a need to disclose movement paths, the store name will be revealed at that time.”

Busan City’s quarantine authorities stated, “If all contacts within the space where confirmed cases occurred are identified, the store name is not disclosed. The decision to disclose is made by evaluating the epidemiological investigation’s contact identification status and the risk of additional confirmed cases.”

Shinsegae Centum City has suspended operations at the store until this day. A department store official said, “Additional tests were conducted on about 70 other employees whose movement paths overlapped, but all tested negative and were placed under self-quarantine.”

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