Three coronavirus cases reported at Coupang distribution center

Coupang logo. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Three Coupang employees working at a distribution center in Bucheon, Gyeonggi, have tested positive for the coronavirus, the e-commerce operator confirmed on Tuesday.

Coupang admitted that three employees from the Bucheon distribution center are included in the total 87 coronavirus patients confirmed by Bucheon City as of Monday. One employee tested positive on Sunday, but Coupang refused to reveal details of the other two employees.

The distribution center has been temporarily closed.

Products from the Bucheon distribution center are delivered to the metropolitan area and the western part of Seoul. Coupang said the temporary shutdown won’t affect deliveries to those areas since it has distribution centers elsewhere, including in Goyang, Gyeonggi, and Incheon.

More than a thousand employees work at the distribution center, according to local media reports. Coupang refused to reveal the exact figure.

Coupang suggested there shouldn’t be concerns about the virus spreading from its distribution center since products are all packaged.

“All the products are sealed and packaged [when they arrive at the distribution center],” said Kim Se-min, a spokesperson for Coupang. “Employees are not able to directly touch the products. They are also required to wear gloves and a mask while working.”

Kim added, “Of many coronavirus infections, there hasn’t been a single case of the virus spreading through packages.”

BY JIN MIN-JI [jin.minji@joongang.co.kr]