GS HOME SHOPPING CLOSED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS

[Anchor Lead]

GS Home Shopping has been closed because one of its employees had been confirmed to have the novel coronavirus. It's the first instance of the closure of the entire company because of the virus outbreak. Hyundai Group has also closed its headquarters in downtown Seoul after a relative of one of its employees was confirmed to have the coronavirus.

[Pkg]

Quarantine operations are in full swing around the GS Home Shopping headquarters. Employees leave the building with protective face masks on. The company was closed after one of its employees working on the third floor was confirmed to have contracted the novel coronavirus. GS Home Shopping has suspended live broadcast and will be temporarily closed until this weekend. There are usually some 700 employees in the HQ, but currently only a select few remain in the building to air re-runs and oversee the facility. The confirmed person is a relative of the 15th coronavirus patient, who was confirmed to have the disease on February 2nd. The employee has been under self-quarantine along with seven other coworkers since January 31st. The results of the first test conducted on February 2nd came back negative, but the second test performed three days later was positive.

[Soundbite] KIM IN-HO(GS HOME SHOPPING) : "We thought everything was okay because the results came back negative. But the test conducted on February 5 at the employee's request due to poor health condition showed it was the novel coronavirus."

GS Home Shopping notified its staff of the situation on Thursday morning and eventually decided to close temporarily due to growing concerns. The company reached the decision on its own without receiving any administrative orders from health authorities, but some say more measures are needed.

[Soundbite] UM JUNG-SHIK(PROF., GACHON UNIVERSITY GIL MEDICAL CENTER) : "Finding those who had close contact with the infected person prior to self-quarantine is important. We must find as many of them as possible and place them under home quarantine for up to 14 days."

Hyundai Group also partially closed its headquarters in Gye-dong in downtown Seoul due to the outbreak. The company implemented the measure after a relative of one of the employees had been confirmed to have the coronavirus.