[Asia Economy Reporter Seolgina Jo] As the government has effectively returned to a 'social distancing' system by suspending public facilities in the Seoul metropolitan area following the cluster infection at the Coupang logistics center, ICT companies are expanding and maintaining flexible work systems that allow employees who wish to work from home.
According to the industry on the 29th, Naver decided to maintain the current shift work system of coming to the office twice a week and working from home three times a week until next week due to ongoing concerns about the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Kakao, which is implementing a once-a-week office attendance system, plans to finalize next week's work policy today, considering the government's announcement made the day before. Nexon also decided to continue the work system of coming to the office three times a week and working from home twice a week.
The telecommunications industry, which had practically returned to normal operations, plans to actively utilize flexible work systems.
SK Telecom, which was the first major domestic company to start working from home for all employees at the end of February, has not announced any new policies since the government's announcement yesterday. Since the government has requested flexible work such as staggered commuting and working from home mainly for public institutions in the metropolitan area, it is more likely to continue the current 'constant digital work system' rather than returning to working from home. The core of this system is allowing employees to choose between coming to the office and working from home within a certain ratio according to their individual situations such as childcare, and dispersing commuting times and office spaces. SK Telecom ended the work-from-home policy related to the Itaewon COVID-19 outbreak as of the 24th.
KT is also encouraging autonomous implementation of working from home by each institution and department while focusing on strengthening daily quarantine measures. From the end of February to mid-March, when COVID-19 rapidly spread, KT implemented a two-shift work-from-home system where half of the employees alternated attendance, and then returned to a flexible work system. LG Uplus, which closed its Yongsan headquarters due to confirmed COVID-19 cases from the Itaewon clubs, has returned to normal work this week but allows working from home for those with concerns about infection or specific reasons such as childcare or pregnancy.
Game companies such as NC and Netmarble, which operate on a full-day work system, are closely monitoring workplace COVID-19 infections but are reportedly not considering changes to their work systems at this time.
The government announced yesterday afternoon that, as the number of new COVID-19 cases sharply increased due to the cluster infection at the Coupang logistics center, it would effectively resume social distancing by issuing administrative orders to refrain from operating public facilities and academies. The number of new cases announced yesterday was 79, the highest since April 5 (81 cases).
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