Hyundai Motor and Rotem Suspend Operations at Some Plants Due to COVID-19 (Comprehensive)

[Asia Economy Reporters Kiho Sung and Gimin Lee] Operations have been halted at some Hyundai Motor Group affiliates' workplaces due to confirmed and suspected cases of COVID-19.

On the 28th, according to a Hyundai Motor official, operations at the Ulsan Plant 2 were suspended after a worker at the painting plant tested positive for COVID-19. The worker is reported to be a 53-year-old male.

Ulsan Plant 2 is a production line for popular models such as the GV80, Palisade, Santa Fe, and Tucson. This positive case marks the 13th confirmed COVID-19 infection in the Ulsan area.

This is the first time a Hyundai Motor employee at the Ulsan plant has tested positive for the coronavirus. The confirmed case visited the Ulsan Hospital screening clinic at 7 p.m. the previous day and received the positive diagnosis the following morning.

Hyundai Motor is responding accordingly. A Hyundai Motor official stated, "Currently, Ulsan Plant 2 is suspended, and we are conducting thorough disinfection of the confirmed worker's workplace and movement paths. The final scope and duration of closure will follow the guidelines of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."

At Hyundai Rotem's Changwon plant, a manufacturer of railway vehicles and defense industry products, operations were also halted after a family member of an employee was suspected of having COVID-19. One employee informed the company the previous day that a family member had a fever.

In response, Hyundai Rotem took preemptive measures by temporarily closing the plant from 9 a.m. that day and began disinfecting the entire plant area.

According to the collective agreement, Hyundai Rotem plans to resume operations on March 3. A Hyundai Rotem official said, "March 2 is a substitute holiday for March 1 under the collective agreement, so the actual closure is only for one day, the 28th." They added, "Since production is not continuous through the production line, the impact on production is not significant."