[Breaking] Two Hanwoolwon Employees Test Positive for COVID-19... Headquarters Fully Closed

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] On the 26th, an employee at the headquarters of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) in Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk, and an employee at the Wolseong Nuclear Power Headquarters tested positive for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

KHNP stated on the day, "One employee working at the headquarters and one security staff member at the Wolseong Nuclear Power Headquarters tested positive for COVID-19," adding, "Both employees are currently under self-quarantine and are scheduled to be transferred to a hospital."

Accordingly, KHNP placed about 100 employees at the headquarters under self-quarantine. Additionally, all headquarters employees except essential personnel will work from home until the 27th, and the headquarters building will undergo disinfection work on the afternoon of the 26th.

Essential personnel will work special 24-hour shifts in the control room, which has been disinfected in advance. Practically, the entire headquarters except for the control room will be closed for 36 hours.

The Wolseong Nuclear Power Headquarters employee is a worker at the entrance access control office and is understood not to have entered the power plant. Accordingly, KHNP placed about 60 employees who worked with or had overlapping movement paths with this employee under self-quarantine, closed the access control office, and began disinfection. A separate space has also been prepared to carry out access control duties.

KHNP emphasized, "This confirmed case has no impact whatsoever on the safe operation of the nuclear power plant."

Meanwhile, Gyeongju City announced that two citizens and one Daegu citizen temporarily residing in Gyeongju tested positive for COVID-19. As a result, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases among Gyeongju citizens or those living in Gyeongju has increased from 5 to 8. Among the Gyeongju citizens, the 6th confirmed case is a 27-year-old male employee working at KHNP’s Wolseong Nuclear Power Headquarters.

He met a friend on the 14th at Dongseong-ro in Daegu, worked at his workplace from the 15th to the 17th, and visited a private clinic in Gyeongju on the 18th. He worked night shifts from the 19th to the 21st, visited a hospital in Gyeongju on the 22nd, and a bar in downtown Gyeongju on the 23rd. After being tested at the Gyeongju Public Health Center on the 24th and staying at home, he was confirmed positive for COVID-19 at 11 p.m. on the 25th.

The 7th confirmed case is a 51-year-old woman living in Daegu. After visiting the Shincheonji Daegu Church on the 16th, she visited her family home in Gyeongju with her family and stayed there continuously. After being notified of self-quarantine on the 19th due to contact with a confirmed case at Shincheonji Daegu Church, she tested positive on the 25th.

The 8th confirmed case is a 32-year-old woman working at KHNP headquarters. She stayed at home on the 23rd, worked at her workplace on the 24th, and after work visited a pharmacy and clinic in Gyeongju. On the 25th, she traveled to Busan, was tested at Haeundae Paik Hospital, and was confirmed positive at 11 p.m. that day.

A Gyeongju city official stated, "There are currently 6 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Gyeongju area based on residence," and added, "The city will disclose the movement paths of confirmed cases on the city website as soon as they are confirmed."