Coupang Fulfillment Services (CFS) to Spend 4.5 Billion Won to Support Victims of Incheon Logistics Center Fire

[Financial News] Coupang Fulfillment Services (CFS) will provide additional support worth 4.5 billion won for nearby residents and the local community affected by the fire at its Incheon logistics center.
According to industry sources on the 20th, CFS will implement measures to help the community recover, including providing living support payments and damage recovery support payments to approximately 28,000 residents living near the logistics center. This assistance is separate from the support already provided since the fire broke out in late July, including free medical checkups, coverage of hospital and medication costs, and emergency relief supplies.
Under the support plan, CFS will provide residents in Seoknam 1-dong and parts of Sinhyeon-dong who experienced inconvenience because of the fire with living support payments of 50,000 won per person and damage recovery support payments of 100,000 won per household. Residents in some areas of Seoknam 1-dong, which were relatively more severely affected because of their proximity to the logistics center and the need for some residents to stay in shelters, will receive 100,000 won per person in living support and 200,000 won per household in damage recovery support.
The damage recovery support payments were established to help residents clean up and otherwise recover from the damage caused by the fire. Approximately 28,000 people are expected to qualify for the living support payments, while about 15,000 households are expected to qualify for the damage recovery support payments.
CFS is consulting with Seohae-gu Office on the application and payment procedures to distribute the support as quickly as possible. Once the discussions are complete, it will provide relevant information in stages to residents in the eligible areas.
Separately from the payments, CFS will provide support for individual losses suffered by residents once the damage is verified under the existing support procedures. A dedicated call center for damage assistance will also operate through the end of November.
CFS will also expand its support for the local community. It will provide a total of 150 million won in school development funds to four schools near the logistics center: Sinseok Elementary School, Sinhyeon Elementary School, Sinhyeonbuk Elementary School and Sinhyeon Girls’ Middle School. Sinseok Elementary School was closed when the fire broke out, while the other three schools operated as temporary shelters for local residents.
CFS will also carry out social contribution activities, including donating supplies to social welfare facilities and community organizations in Seoknam-dong and Gajeong-dong, such as facilities for seniors living alone, welfare centers and facilities for people with disabilities. In cooperation with specialized social welfare organizations, it plans to provide residents with the assistance they need.
Support measures have also been prepared for firefighters and volunteer firefighters who took part in containing the blaze. CFS will provide scholarships for firefighters’ children and supplies needed for emergency responses. It also plans to support local volunteer fire brigades after consulting with the fire station serving the area.
The total support package, including the living support and damage recovery support payments for residents near the logistics center and various measures for the local community, amounts to 4.5 billion won.
CFS will also work to expand local employment. In cooperation with Seohae-gu Office, it plans to establish a system that gives priority hiring opportunities to local residents seeking jobs at logistics centers in the district. The company intends to offer employment opportunities mainly in automation equipment and technology-related positions.
Since the fire broke out in late July, CFS has provided nearby residents with free medical checkups, assistance with hospital and medication costs, and support for cleaning and car-washing expenses. It also provided shuttle buses for transportation to hospitals and professional on-site cleaning services. Emergency relief supplies, including mattresses and blankets, were delivered to shelters, while masks were provided to nearby schools for students and staff. An on-site damage assistance center and a dedicated damage assistance call center are also operating.
Jeong Jong-chul, CEO of CFS, said, "We developed the support measures after comprehensively considering the difficulties caused by the fire and reflecting the opinions of loss-adjustment experts and others. We sincerely apologize once again to the local residents who have experienced hardship." He added, "We will do our utmost to help the community recover quickly and regain stability, even if only to a small extent, through this support."
[email protected] Jang Yu-ha Reporter