The community flare-up of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Daegu City and North Gyeongsang Province endangers South Korea’s manufacturing hub responsible for the country’s key automobile, shipbuilding, electronics and smartphone industries.

As of Monday afternoon, 643 out of the total 794 cases stemmed from Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, home to top manufacturing names in Korea.

Samsung Electronics temporarily shut down its Gumi plant in North Gyeongsang Province after an employee was confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus on Saturday.

The Gumi plant is in charge of research and development and production of latest premium smartphones like Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Fold. Operation normalized Monday afternoon after sterilization, according to the company.

Samsung Electronics shares on Monday closed 4.05 percent lower at 56,800 won in Seoul.

LG Electronics, LG Display and LG Innotek based in Gumi are on alert.

SK Hynix last week quarantined more than 800 employees at its Icheon campus in Gyeonggi Province upon discovering tow novices in training showing symptoms after contact with a patient in Daegu. They tested negative for the virus then, but the company forced self-quarantine measure until Mar. 1.

Hyundai Motor which suffered disruption due to suspension of supply chain in China turned tense after a 41-year-old worker at its partner company Seojin Industrial, the frame and chassis supplier to Hyundai Motor’s Ulsan factory, was found dead at home and tested positive for the virus on Friday.

Hyundai Motor started running own emergency situation room for fast response to the virus crisis, with thermal cameras installed at each of the doors at the Ulsan plant with 30,000 employees. Most of Hyundai and Kia car assembly lines in Korea plugged back on Monday.

Petrochemical companies also are taking stricter precautious measures to prevent factory shutdown, said an industry source.

Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. is installing thermal cameras at seven entrance doors at its Ulsan plant, the workplace for 27,000 workers.

By Seo Dae-hyun, Park Yun-gu, Kang In-seon and Lee Ha-yeon

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]