Meeting by Phone, Samples Delivered Quickly... Home Shopping Industry Faces First Workplace Closure Shock

After 20th COVID-19 Case Confirmed Among GS Home Shopping Headquarters Staff
Concerns in Home Shopping Industry with Many SME Partners, External Meetings, and Staff
Guests Undergo Temperature Checks... Meetings Shifted to Non-Face-to-Face
Enhanced Measures Including Thermal Cameras and Masks

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] GS Home Shopping has implemented the first workplace closure in South Korea after an internal case of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) was confirmed, spreading fear of the new coronavirus throughout the home shopping industry.

On the 7th, CJ O Shopping replaced all partner meetings with non-face-to-face methods such as phone calls and emails. Product samples are received via quick service, and for external guests appearing on live broadcasts, the responsible MD measures their temperature before allowing them into the studio. Lotte Home Shopping has installed thermal imaging cameras at the main entrance to screen for feverish individuals. NS Home Shopping has suspended recruiting audience members, which usually numbered around 20 to 30 per session. All three companies are mandating mask-wearing for all employees and conducting disinfection and sanitation work outside of working hours. Public Home Shopping also established a related task force (TF) the previous day and activated an emergency duty system. They closed partner consultation offices and switched to phone consultations, and replaced guests from other companies who tested positive with different guests.

The reason the home shopping industry is actively responding to the novel coronavirus is that many partner companies also do business with GS Home Shopping, where confirmed cases have occurred. An industry insider said, "Due to the nature of the industry, many small and medium-sized partner companies trade not only with GS Home Shopping but also with other companies, raising concerns about secondary and tertiary infections within the local community," adding, "Many partners are requesting to postpone meetings first."

After a headquarters employee was confirmed as the 20th novel coronavirus patient, GS Home Shopping temporarily closed the workplace until 6 a.m. on the 8th and is currently conducting disinfection work. On the 6th, they disinfected the entire building, including two headquarters buildings (14 floors and 8 floors), the broadcasting studio, and the in-house daycare center, over approximately five hours, and plan to conduct additional disinfection on the 7th. A GS Home Shopping official explained, "We plan to complete the entire building disinfection by today and resume normal operations such as live broadcasts starting from the 8th."