"Gyms and Swimming Pools Visited Still Require 7-Day Quarantine"…Companies Tighten COVID-19 Measures at Level 4

Medical staff are busy moving at the COVID-19 screening clinic at Songpa-gu Public Health Center in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] A domestic company has decided to strengthen the screening criteria to assess the risk of COVID-19 infection for employees entering the workplace starting this weekend. Employees who have visited entertainment facilities, as well as bathhouses, water parks, indoor sports facilities (such as fitness centers), academies, or attended family events will be required to quarantine for one week and undergo diagnostic testing. All these facilities are designated as high-priority management targets.

According to industry sources on the 10th, as the government announced that social distancing in the metropolitan area will be applied at Level 4 for two weeks starting from the 12th, some companies are swiftly adjusting their quarantine guidelines to the highest level.

Even though multi-use facilities such as indoor sports centers, PC rooms, and karaoke rooms are allowed to operate until 10 PM under Level 4 distancing, employees of these companies find it difficult to visit such facilities due to internal management guidelines. From this day forward, the company will also implement active monitoring for one week for employees who have visited general management facilities such as beauty salons, restaurants, cafes, reading rooms, study cafes, and DVD rooms. If prevention rules are not followed, employees must quarantine for seven days and undergo testing.

Samsung Electronics bans face-to-face meetings
Hyundai Motor prohibits company dinners and restricts business trips

Other major domestic companies are also tightening internal quarantine measures. They are rapidly shifting guidelines to maximize remote work ratios and prohibit events and private gatherings.

Samsung Electronics maintains a rotating remote work policy at about 30% excluding essential personnel and has requested employees to refrain from activities with infection risks such as business trips and company dinners. They also advise avoiding visits to entertainment facilities and require testing before returning if such visits occur. Face-to-face meetings, training sessions, and events are also prohibited. Some workplaces are increasing shuttle bus frequency and adjusting passenger numbers to reduce congestion.

Hyundai Motor has communicated guidelines to employees prohibiting company dinners and restricting domestic and international business trips due to a sharp increase in confirmed cases. SK Group switched its holding company and SUPEX to 100% remote work from the 7th. SK Hynix recently announced limited permission for some sports facilities and in-house training but has since suspended these and closed sports facilities again to block potential in-house infection sites.

Citizens who visited the screening clinic set up at Gangnam-gu Public Health Center in Seoul are lining up to get tested. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Sudden U-turn after easing quarantine
LG raises remote work ratio to 50%

LG expanded the remote work ratio to 50% across the group for one week starting the previous day. Initially, they planned to ease the remote work ratio to 20% from the 1st of this month, but due to the increase in confirmed cases mainly in the metropolitan area, they decided to maintain the previous 40% ratio and, judging the quarantine situation as serious, raised it even higher. Additionally, in line with the government's social distancing adjustment schedule, they decided to ban all domestic and international business trips, group training, and external meetings from the 12th, which were initially advised to be refrained from.

Furthermore, Doosan Group plans to continue measures such as remote work for non-essential commuting personnel based on current metropolitan area workplaces, switching internal and external training and events online or banning them, prohibiting domestic and international business trips, and refraining from external work gatherings. LS Group also stated, "We plan to minimize company dinners, gatherings, and face-to-face meetings for the time being."

According to the government and quarantine authorities, under Level 4 distancing, private gatherings of three or more people are prohibited after 6 PM, and guidelines such as staggered commuting and lunch hours for workplaces excluding manufacturing, and a recommended 30% remote work ratio will be implemented.