More tech workers from ROK resume jobs in Tianjin

A second group of 241 technology professionals from the Republic of Korea arrived in Tianjin's Binhai New Area on Friday and resumed their work on Monday, thanks to a rapid-channel for admittance established by China and the ROK last month.

The mechanism allows for Chinese and ROK professionals certified as coronavirus-free for a week to skip quarantine and go straight to work.

Other coronavirus test, which were completed after their arrival on Friday, also came back negative.

All the workers were back on the job on Monday at branches of five companies, including Samsung Display, Electro-Mechanics, and Battery, based in Tianjin Economic and Tech Development Area (TEDA).

Jin Xianghua, vice-director of TEDA, said that Samsung needed its workers to join production lines for some urgent projects involving technology upgrades that require equipment testing.

"Their high-end products are key to enriching Tianjin's industrial portfolio," Jin said.

Zhang Guosheng, vice-director of Binhai New Area, said the area maintains stringent management of returning staff members of foreign companies to secure the smooth and healthy resumption of production.

The first group of 215 from the ROK arrived on May 13.

In a previous interview, Dongwon Lee, general manager of Samsung Display Tianjin Co, said the company requested fast processing of the employees because of pressing business needs.