Coupang "Apologies for Concern Caused by COVID-19 Cases at Logistics Center"

Coupang Posts COVID-19 Notice on Homepage... Five Days After First Confirmed Case

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Hyewon] Coupang apologized on the 28th for causing concern amid the overall social anxiety due to the COVID-19 situation, following confirmed cases of COVID-19 at its logistics centers in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province.

At around 7 p.m. on the same day, Coupang posted a notice titled “Notice Regarding COVID-19 Confirmed Cases at Coupang Logistics Centers” on its official website.

This customer notice came five days after the first confirmed case at the Bucheon logistics center.

In a Q&A format, Coupang responded to the question, “Can the virus be transmitted through delivery packages?” by stating, “There have been over 5.5 million confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide, but there has not been a single reported case of virus transmission through delivery packages. Both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have officially stated that the risk of infection through delivery packages is extremely low, and Korea’s Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters has repeatedly confirmed that there have been no cases of virus transmission via delivery packages.”

Regarding the question, “Are previously delivered products safe?” Coupang said, “All fresh food products at Coupang are received in sealed packaging, and Coupang employees do not directly handle the products from receipt to shipment. Non-fresh products are stored in logistics centers where daily disinfection measures are conducted, and all employees wear masks and gloves while working. Coupang is currently delivering from other logistics centers that are completely unrelated to the confirmed cases.”

Coupang also stated, “Since the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak, thermal cameras have been installed at all logistics centers nationwide, and daily disinfection has been carried out. At all fully operational logistics centers, disinfection goes beyond simply spraying disinfectant; disinfection personnel regularly wipe down places frequently touched by hands, such as door handles and knobs, with cloths soaked in disinfectant.” Coupang added that it will continue to implement the strongest disinfection measures in consultation with health authorities to ensure customer safety.