[Report] COVID-19 Hits the 'Heart of Seoul'... Foreigners' Jongno Tourism Also Takes a Direct Hit

COVID-19 Cases Continue to Appear in Jongno, South Korea's 'Political Hub'

Foreign Tourists Met in Jongno Area Say, "We Have No Choice but to Continue Traveling... We Feel Anxious"

Traditional Market Merchants Say, "Customer Numbers Have Dropped by Two-Thirds"

[Asia Economy Reporters Yoo Byung-don, Kim Bong-gi] "Is it true that a cluster of cases has occurred in one city in South Korea? I am worried because it seems the risk of infection is higher in South Korea than in the United States."

Richard Lee (33), an American whom we met near Gyeongbokgung Station in Jongno-gu, Seoul, where a cluster of COVID-19 cases occurred on the 20th, appeared visibly anxious. Having heard about the mass outbreak of COVID-19 cases in Daegu the previous day, he said, "There are more cases in one city in South Korea than the total number of cases in the United States, so I plan to be more cautious from now on."

As COVID-19 confirmed cases continue to emerge in Jongno, the heart of South Korea where government offices and major corporate offices are concentrated, Seoul has fallen into a state of panic. Especially since Jongno is a must-visit course for foreign tourists to Korea, including Seochon Hanok Village, Gyeongbokgung Palace, and Tongin Market, the nearby commercial districts have also been directly hit. As of the 21st, 7 out of 15 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Seoul were reported in Jongno.

In particular, the otolaryngology clinic near Gyeongbokgung Station, where additional cases were reported the previous day, is close to the Seoul Government Complex and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, and Gwanghwamun Square, where various rallies are held daily, is also nearby. The area around Sungin-dong and Changsin-dong in Jongno-gu, where COVID-19 cases are concentrated, is a region with a relatively high population of elderly people with underlying health conditions who frequently reside and commute there. Hotels catering to Chinese tourists have also recently been established in the area.

Because of this, the area around Gyeongbokgung has seen a noticeable decrease in foreign tourists compared to usual, and domestic visitors wearing masks also appear subdued. Lee Yoon-jung (30, female), who operates a hanbok rental shop near Gyeongbokgung, said, "Since most of our customers are foreigners, we are greatly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak," adding, "The number of customers, which used to reach 60 per day on weekdays, has dropped sharply to around 10 to 20, and we have to prepare for further decreases." Choi Dae-hwan (23), who works at a KT agency, said, "I feel that the number of people on the streets has decreased by nearly 40%," and "The noticeable drop in foreigners is more significant than that of Koreans."

Especially, Chinese tourists, from the country where COVID-19 originated, have already significantly decreased since last month. According to the tourism industry, about 74% of Chinese group tours entering Korea this month have been canceled. Currently, there are no inquiries or new reservations for travel packages. Flights on the Korea-China route have decreased by about 70%. Another hanbok rental shop representative also said, "Among foreign tourists, Chinese visitors have almost completely stopped coming."

Traditional markets in the Jongno area, frequently visited by both locals and foreigners, have also seen a sharp decline in visitors. Gwangjang Market in Seoul, famous for its many attractions and food, used to be crowded not only on weekends but also on weekdays, but merchants unanimously said that visitors have dropped to one-third. During lunchtime the previous day, Gwangjang Market had only one or two tables occupied in each restaurant, and the market alleys appeared quiet. A representative of a yukhoe (raw beef) specialty restaurant in Gwangjang Market said, "It seems that the number of customers has decreased by about 70%."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.