Gyeonggi-do Issues 'Close Contact Usage Restriction Administrative Order' for 33,091 Hagwon and Gyoseupso

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province has issued a 'Close Contact Usage Restriction Administrative Order' for 33,091 academies and private institutes within the province. This is the third administrative order following those issued for 137 religious facilities and the three major industries including PC rooms, karaoke rooms, and club-type establishments.

On the 25th, Gyeonggi Province announced through the Gyeonggi Province Gazette on the 24th that it had issued the close contact usage restriction administrative order targeting academies and private institutes deemed to have a high risk of COVID-19 infection, to enforce physical distancing.

This administrative order is the third following the orders issued on the 17th for 137 religious facilities that violated COVID-19 prevention rules, and on the 18th for the three major industries including PC rooms, karaoke rooms, and club-type establishments. The order will be effective until the 6th of next month.

The order targets 22,936 academies in the province that, under the law, provide knowledge, skills, or arts education to 10 or more learners or an unspecified number of learners for 30 days or more, or possess facilities provided as learning spaces for 30 days or more.

It also includes 10,155 facilities that provide knowledge, skills, or arts education to students of elementary, middle, or high schools, or equivalent schools, or to examinees preparing for school entrance or academic recognition exams, as defined by law.

The province requires these facilities to comply with eight rules: ▲ designation of an infection control officer ▲ mandatory mask-wearing for all workers and learners ▲ prohibition of entry for symptomatic individuals with fever, sore throat, cough, etc. (workers must check twice daily) ▲ preparation and management of learner lists (including names, contact information, entry times, etc.) ▲ hand sanitization for all entrants ▲ maintaining maximum possible distance between learners ▲ regular ventilation and disinfection and cleaning once before and after business hours ▲ disinfection of door handles, handrails, and other surfaces.

Violations will result in prosecution under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act (fines up to 3 million KRW) or measures such as prohibition of customer-attracting business operations. Additionally, if confirmed cases arise due to violations, the full cost of related quarantine measures including investigation, testing, and treatment will be claimed.

The current Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act authorizes the Minister of Health and Welfare or provincial governors to restrict or prohibit gatherings or assemblies of people to prevent infectious diseases.

The province plans to grant a three-day guidance period from the 25th to the 27th, after which strict enforcement will begin.

Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, when issuing the administrative order for the three major multi-use establishments including PC rooms on the 18th, stated, "I deeply apologize as the person responsible for quarantine in Gyeonggi Province for having to take measures that restrict the lives of residents," and added, "As governor, whose primary duty is to protect the lives and safety of residents, I ask for broad understanding that I must fulfill this duty even at the risk of criticism."

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