Meals, Smoking Rooms Crowded Together for Conversation
Issues with Poor Mask Wearing Compliance
On the morning of the 26th, an eerie silence fell over the Coupang logistics center in Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, where a surge of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) occurred. Coupang closed the center after confirmed cases were detected among the logistics center workers. /Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] On the 27th, Jang Deokcheon, mayor of Bucheon City, Gyeonggi Province, announced that "it has been decided to quarantine all 4,015 people related to Coupang" in response to the increasing number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) related to the Coupang logistics center in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province.
Mayor Jang appeared on CBS Radio's 'Sisa Jaki Jung Gwanyong imnida' on the same day and said, "(Coupang) has about 1,300 workers per day. About 300 are daily workers who change every day," explaining the working pattern.
He continued, regarding those tested in connection with the Coupang Bucheon logistics center, "As of yesterday, there were 1,822 people. About 800 people in Bucheon alone today," and added, "The total number of people identified as related until yesterday was 3,626, but after a meeting last night, it was confirmed to be 4,015."
He added, "Since it takes a long time to identify contacts in epidemiological investigations, it was decided to quarantine everyone for now," and said, "I think all 4,015 people will be tested by tomorrow morning at the earliest."
He stated, "According to our epidemiological investigators, it was found that people gathered closely to talk in places like dining areas and smoking rooms," and "Although masks were worn when coming to work, it was found that mask-wearing was poor during work, such as wearing masks on the chin."
Earlier, Mayor Jang announced on his Facebook that "the situation at the Coupang Bucheon logistics center is not easy," and "Bucheon City is returning to a social distancing system."
As Bucheon City returns from a daily life distancing system to a social distancing system, it has decided to postpone in-person classes for all grades except for high school seniors and continue remote classes for the time being.
Accordingly, the scheduled in-person classes on the 27th for kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grades of elementary school, 3rd grade of middle school, 2nd grade of high school, and special school students will be decided later, reflecting the trend of confirmed cases related to the Coupang logistics center.
Also, the city requested that attendance at daycare centers be refrained from until June 2nd, stating that the current attendance rate exceeds 73%, making it difficult to practice social distancing.
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