Distribution Industry, Minimal Damage from Heavy Rain... Effectiveness of Preventive Measures

Flood Damage at Some Convenience Stores
Most Recovery Work Completed
No Damage at Marts and Department Stores
"Impact of Prior Facility Inspections"

Due to heavy rain from the monsoon, some damage occurred in the distribution industry. However, it is reported that the overall scale of damage was minimal thanks to prior preparations by each company.

Citizens carrying out restoration work at a convenience store in a previously flooded area.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the industry on the 17th, about 300 convenience store locations nationwide suffered flooding or leakage damage due to heavy rain until the previous day. In the metropolitan area, stores located along the Han River suspended operations due to rising water levels, and in other regions, some flooding or leakage was confirmed. The headquarters operating the affected convenience stores have mostly completed follow-up measures, with restoration ongoing for about 20 locations.

Fortunately, there were no casualties. This is largely due to each company establishing an emergency response system in preparation for the monsoon. Most convenience stores shared response plans in advance at the headquarters level, such as inspecting entrance doors and cleaning drains, and distributed tutorial videos detailing specific response procedures to each store. A representative from convenience store A said, "We provided additional guidance on response measures in case of flooding or power outages, including flashlights for normal operations, and established a 24-hour emergency response system."

Large-scale daily goods stores such as marts reportedly suffered virtually no flood damage. The industry stated, "This can be attributed to prior preparations, including inspections of major facilities and removal of debris from drains at all stores before the monsoon." Companies like E-mart, Lotte Mart, and Homeplus reportedly secured additional equipment such as portable flood barriers, sandbags, and emergency drainage pumps to prepare for possible flood situations and distributed them to each store.

Department stores and outlets also reported no flood damage. However, some stores experienced a decrease in customer visits due to the heavy rain over the weekend. A department store representative explained, "It is analyzed that the rain was so heavy that going out was difficult," but added, "The decrease in customers is not significant." Another department store representative said, "We are making every effort to ensure a safe shopping environment for customers by thoroughly preparing for the monsoon period."

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