Samsung says chip factory worker tests positive for virus, output not affected

SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd <005930.KS> said on Tuesday that one of its chip factory workers in South Korea had tested positive for coronavirus, but its output has not been affected.

This is the first time a Samsung chip factory employee has tested positive for the virus, although several confirmed cases at the tech giant's smartphone factory in South Korea's southeastern city of Gumi resulted in a temporary suspension.

Chip factories have been largely unaffected by the pandemic which started in China, although concerns over supply disruption have contributed to recent price rises.

"One of our employees at our Foundry fab in Giheung, Korea, has tested positive with COVID-19," Samsung said in a statement, referring to the respiratory disease caused by the virus.

"Those who had been in close contact with the employee are currently in self-isolation and the employee's work area has been closed off for disinfection," Samsung said, adding that cleanrooms remained in operation.

South Korea, which once posted the biggest outbreak outside China, has seen cases easing in recent weeks. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 78 new cases on Monday, at least 13 of whom were people who arrived from abroad.

(Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Editing by Stephen Coates)