Hyundai Shuts Down Factory In Korea After Worker Tests Positive For Coronavirus

A Hyundai Motor worker has tested positive for the new coronavirus, leading to a suspension of production at one its factories in South Korea's southeastern city of Ulsan, the company said on Friday. Shares of the automaker dropped more than 5% after the news, while the wider market was down 2.6%. The closing deals a fresh setback to Hyundai Motor, which has gradually resumed production at local plants hit by a Chinese parts shortage in the wake of the virus outbreak.

"The company has also placed colleagues who came in close contact with the infected employee in self-quarantine and taken steps to have them tested for possible infection," Hyundai Motor said in a news release. The company added that it was disinfecting the factory.

Ulsan is less than an hour from Daegu, the epicentre of outbreak in Korea.

Hyundai operates five car factories in Ulsan, which has an annual production capacity of 1.4 million vehicles, or nearly 30% of Hyundai's global production. Hyundai employs 34,000 workers there in the world's biggest car complex.