Changwon City to Hold Namchangwon Nonghyup Legally Accountable for Concealing 'Group Infection' Facts

Violation of COVID-19 Quarantine Rules and Forced Business Operation
Fine of 22.5 Million Won, 10-Day Suspension of Mart Operations, Civil Lawsuit for Reimbursement Claims

Heo Seong-mu, Mayor of Changwon.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Saeyan] Changwon City in Gyeongnam holds Namchangwon Nonghyup legally and administratively responsible for concealing a COVID-19 case among its employees and operating its business, which caused a cluster infection of over 60 people.

On the 17th, Changwon Mayor Heo Seong-mu announced plans to impose fines and suspend operations on Namchangwon Nonghyup for violating COVID-19 quarantine rules and to file a civil lawsuit to claim damages.

Changwon City first confirmed 15 violations of quarantine rules by Namchangwon Nonghyup, which held events to attract customers while operating its mart.

The city judged that Namchangwon Nonghyup violated quarantine rules by conducting 15 individual item discount events on pork, fresh anchovies, and domestic live shrimp?items prohibited under social distancing level 2 or higher?between July 15 and August 4, when the business was suspended.

Based on the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, the city will impose a fine of 1.5 million KRW per violation, totaling 22.5 million KRW, on Namchangwon Nonghyup.

In addition to the fines, the city will impose an administrative suspension of mart operations for 10 days.

Separately from the administrative measures, the city will file a civil lawsuit to claim damages from Namchangwon Nonghyup for the responsibility of causing this cluster infection.

At the Namchangwon mart, the number of confirmed cases increased to 68 by the 17th after the first infection was reported on the 2nd.

About 20,000 Changwon citizens who used this mart had to undergo testing.

Mayor Heo said, "Namchangwon Nonghyup’s violation of quarantine rules and the resulting cluster infection caused significant social and economic losses," adding, "We are preparing a lawsuit to claim damages for additional costs of setting up screening clinics, COVID-19 diagnostic testing fees, and treatment and isolation costs for confirmed cases."

This is the second time the city has claimed damages related to a COVID-19 cluster outbreak.

Last August, the city filed a civil lawsuit demanding 300 million KRW in treatment and testing costs from a woman who denied attending the Gwanghwamun rally on Liberation Day in Seoul, which led to her and her contacts contracting COVID-19.

Mayor Heo also added, "There are reports that Namchangwon Nonghyup is preparing an organized legal response in cooperation with the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation against Changwon City’s administrative and judicial measures," and requested, "The central government should actively consider measures such as recommending restraint to prevent obstacles to Changwon City’s efforts to establish quarantine order."

Earlier, on the 11th, Baek Seung-jo, head of Namchangwon Nonghyup, held a press conference to apologize for the cluster infection occurrence.

On the same day, Kwon Deok-cheol, 1st Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and Minister of Health and Welfare, strongly criticized Namchangwon Nonghyup mart at the Central Disaster Headquarters meeting, saying, "Despite confirmed cases among employees occurring consecutively, they forced operations for three days."

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