Multiple COVID-19 Cases Confirmed at Hankook Tire Geumsan Plant... "Operations Suspended for Two Days"

A Hankook Tire employee is conducting a tire safety inspection. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Photo by Hankook Tire & Technology

[Asia Economy Reporter Junhyung Lee] Hankook Tire's Geumsan factory, where multiple COVID-19 cases have been confirmed, has decided to temporarily halt factory operations.

Hankook Tire's Geumsan factory announced that it will suspend operations for 48 hours from 10 PM on the 24th, when the night shift begins, until 10 PM on the 26th. The company explained that this suspension is a preemptive measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to protect the health rights of its employees.

Previously, the Geumsan factory reported confirmed cases starting with one person on the 21st, followed by five on the 22nd, three on the 23rd, and three on the 24th. Among the confirmed workers, nine were from partner companies and three were regular production employees. Family members, acquaintances, and contacts of the workers were also infected in succession, resulting in a total of 27 confirmed cases in Daejeon and Geumsan.

Since the 23rd, health authorities have set up a temporary screening clinic inside the factory and launched a full COVID-19 investigation. Authorities plan to complete the screening of approximately 3,000 workers by early next week.