Nearly 80 Additional COVID-19 Cases from Coupang... Fear of Cluster Infection Spreads

Goyang Logistics Center Also Closed... 1,200 Tested Remain
Controversy Grows Over First Confirmed Case Left Untreated for About Ten Days

The company signboard is hung on the exterior wall of the Coupang Bucheon Logistics Center building in Ojeong-dong, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do.

[Asia Economy Reporters Choi Dae-yeol, Yoo Byung-don] As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases linked to the Coupang logistics center in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, has increased by nearly 80, concerns about regional spread have become a reality. The controversy has grown as it was revealed that the first confirmed employee continued working for about ten days and the company did not take proactive measures even after cases emerged. One confirmed case was also reported at Coupang's Goyang logistics center, leading to the facility's closure and disinfection measures.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on the 28th, as of midnight, the number of COVID-19 patients related to the Coupang logistics center was counted at 69. This figure comes from testing 3,445 out of 4,159 individuals who were identified as subjects for testing by the previous day. There are still about 1,200 people who have not been tested or are awaiting results, so additional cases are expected. On the morning of the same day, eight more cases were confirmed among employees and their families from Incheon, Gwangmyeong, and Gimpo. The number of infections continues to rise about five days after the first confirmed case on the 23rd.

Criticism has arisen that the collective infection worsened because workers at the logistics center did not wear masks or properly follow quarantine rules such as 'stay home if sick.' Additionally, it was confirmed through our investigation that the company ignored employees' demands to disclose the movements of confirmed cases even after the first patient was identified. The company's complacent response immediately after the first confirmed case is seen as a factor that exacerbated the situation.

A view of the Coupang Goyang Logistics Center in Wonheung-dong, Deogyang-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, which was closed on the 28th.

Internal Meeting Ignores Requests to Disclose Movements After Confirmed Case
Failure to Follow Quarantine Rules and Inadequate Initial Response... Increased Possibility of Additional Cases

According to a transcript obtained by Asia Economy from an internal meeting between employees and managers at the Coupang Bucheon logistics center on the afternoon of the 24th, the company refused to disclose the movements of confirmed cases. This meeting took place the day after the first confirmed case was reported. When an employee asked, "Does this mean we can work at other locations?" a manager replied, "I’m not sure about that," avoiding a direct answer. When asked where the confirmed case had worked, the manager only said, "We have submitted the information to health authorities." Coupang closed the center completely on the afternoon of the 25th, the day after the meeting.

The demand for disclosure of confirmed cases' movements was especially important because many workers hold 'two jobs.' Also, the work structure involves employees moving between floors in a kind of 'dispatch' format without floor distinctions. This means that even if a specific person did not work in the packaging area on the 2nd floor where the confirmed case was found, their paths could have overlapped. Coupang's refusal to disclose confirmed cases' movements may have triggered the surge of internal infections and external transmission.

Meanwhile, as many cases have emerged across the metropolitan area centered on the Coupang logistics center, the Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that 79 new confirmed cases were identified on the day. Of these, 68 were local infections and 11 were imported cases through quarantine. The metropolitan area accounted for 69 cases, making up the majority. This is the first time in 53 days since April 5th (81 cases) that daily new cases have reached the 70s. Since the government shifted to a 'daily life quarantine system' from the 6th of this month, setting several targets, the threshold of 'fewer than 50 cases per day' was exceeded for the first time.

Park Neung-hoo, 1st Deputy Director of the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of Health and Welfare), said before the meeting, "As confirmed cases related to the Bucheon logistics center continue to occur, we will review the inspection requirements of relevant ministries for similar workplaces to prevent another cluster infection. A single moment of negligence threatens the safety of students who have returned to school after three months," he stated.