Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and LG Innotek have separately announced the temporary closure of their manufacturing plants in South Korea after workers tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-2019).
In a company statement, Samsung said that it’s Gumi factory will be closed until Sunday evening as they take all necessary measures, including disinfection, after it reported 1 confirmed case.
Samsung added that the floor where the infected employee worked will be reopened on Tuesday.
The Gumi line, which produces Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy S20 premium phones, is located near Daegu—the center of South Korea’s ballooning coronavirus outbreak.
Meanwhile, LG Innotek has also shut down one of its five factories in Gumi after one worker tested positive for the deadly coronavirus.
The company, which supplies camera modules for Apple Inc’s iPhones, said the plant will be closed on Monday for disinfection.
Apple, through its centric blog Patently Apple, said that they have “no idea if camera module production for the iPhone will be meaningfully impacted or not at this point in time” because LG Innotek did not clarify which specific plant was closed.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the government is waging “all-out responses” to contain the outbreak in their country.
As of Sunday, South Korea has reported a total of 17 deaths out of 3,736 confirmed coronavirus cases.
The closures come as South Korea grapples with one of the largest coronavirus outbreaks outside of China, where the virus first emerged late last year. The country has seen a rapid increase in confirmed cases in recent weeks, particularly in the southeastern city of Daegu and surrounding North Gyeongsang Province. The Gumi industrial complex, located in North Gyeongsang, is a major hub for electronics manufacturing, housing facilities for several global technology companies.
Samsung’s Gumi plant is a key production site for its mobile devices, including high-end smartphones. The temporary shutdown could potentially affect supply chains for premium handsets, though the company has stated it plans to resume operations on the affected floor after disinfection.
LG Innotek’s role as a supplier of camera modules for Apple’s iPhones also highlights the interconnected nature of global electronics manufacturing, where disruptions in one region can ripple through international markets. The outbreak has prompted the South Korean government to implement heightened quarantine measures, including large-scale testing and contact tracing, to slow the spread of the virus. President Moon Jae-in has declared the situation a “grave” national crisis, with authorities urging citizens to practice social distancing and avoid public gatherings.
The country’s response has been closely watched by other nations as a potential model for managing outbreaks while minimizing economic disruption. The impact on South Korea’s export-driven economy, particularly its technology sector, remains a concern for investors and policymakers.
Electronics are a cornerstone of the country’s exports, and any prolonged production halts could affect quarterly earnings and global supply chains. However, both Samsung and LG Innotek have indicated that the closures are temporary and aimed at ensuring worker safety, with operations expected to resume after thorough disinfection procedures.
