"Please Wear a Mask" Some Confirmed Cases Violate Prevention Rules... Citizens Express Frustration

Some COVID-19 Patients Roam Without Wearing Masks
"Mandatory Mask Wearing" Petitions Surge
Daegu City Issues Administrative Order for Mandatory Masks in Public Facilities
Experts Say "Trusting Public Spirit Over Legal Measures"

On the afternoon of the 10th, when Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, announced an administrative order to 'prohibit gatherings' at all clubs and entertainment facilities in the province, a health center official was disinfecting in front of a club in Suwon City, Gyeonggi Province to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] As the weather has recently become hotter, some citizens are walking around the streets without wearing masks, leading to calls for imposing fines on those who do not wear masks.

Given the concerns about cluster infections centered around Itaewon clubs, it is argued that instead of expecting an early end to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) crisis, preparations for a prolonged battle are necessary.

Earlier, Daegu, where the highest number of confirmed cases occurred, decided to issue an administrative order mandating mask-wearing in public places starting from the 13th. Experts emphasized that rather than imposing coercion through legal systems, citizens' sense of responsibility should be trusted.

Cases of individuals who visited Itaewon clubs testing positive for COVID-19 continue to emerge. According to Seoul city on the 11th, there are a total of 75 confirmed cases related to Itaewon clubs, of which 49 are Seoul residents.

In particular, some of these confirmed cases have caused controversy by roaming the streets without wearing masks. One confirmed case residing in Songpa-gu, Seoul, visited cafes, coin karaoke rooms, and restaurants without a mask after visiting an Itaewon club, and a male confirmed case in his 20s living in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, also traveled between Seoul and Incheon without wearing a mask.

As a result, voices are rising to establish a system that enforces mandatory mask-wearing. This is because citizens are increasingly not wearing masks due to the sudden hot weather and relaxed quarantine measures.

Recently, petitions titled "Make mask-wearing mandatory" have been posted one after another on the Blue House's public petition board. One petitioner wrote on the 9th under the title "Please establish a fine system for not wearing masks," stating, "The most urgent matter now, as COVID-19 faces the risk of prolonged duration, is a strict fine policy for not wearing masks."

They added, "A new policy that raises awareness among people, like penalties for not wearing seat belts or drunk driving, is needed," and "I petition for the administrative order mandating mask-wearing on public transportation and in public facilities, proposed by Daegu city, to be applied nationwide." As of 10:45 a.m. on the 11th, the petition had received support from about 1,700 people.

Earlier, on the 5th, Daegu city enforced mask-wearing through an administrative order when using public transportation and public facilities. Since Daegu had the highest number of COVID-19 confirmed cases nationwide, the mask-wearing mandate aims to reduce the possibility of further spread.

Accordingly, starting from the 13th, if users of public transportation or public facilities do not wear masks, management personnel can request mask-wearing, and failure to comply may result in legal action. Taxi drivers refusing to pick up passengers not wearing masks will be recognized as having a 'justifiable reason for refusal.' Failure to comply with this administrative order may result in fines of up to 3 million won.

However, some argue that such measures are excessive. They claim it is harsh to enforce these measures amid the difficult economic situation caused by COVID-19.

The Daegu-Gyeongbuk Health and Welfare Organizations Solidarity also stated in a press release on the 7th, "Wearing masks is a basic quarantine measure that must be emphasized, and citizens who have endured about three months of fear amid the spread of COVID-19 know this better than anyone," but added, "However, enforcing it through strong administrative orders is the wrong approach."

They continued, "Imposing strong administrative orders with sudden fines on citizens who have voluntarily cooperated with government and Daegu city quarantine measures to prevent infection spread is a misdirection of quarantine policy and an excessive exercise of quarantine authority."

Experts emphasized that wearing masks is essential to prevent COVID-19. Professor Eom Jung-sik of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Gachon University Gil Medical Center said, "Looking at the confirmed cases related to Itaewon clubs, the number of confirmed cases is not explosively increasing yet. However, confirmed cases are occurring not only in the Seoul metropolitan area including Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon but also in some other regions," adding, "Especially since secondary infection cases are increasing, masks must be worn."

Regarding the opinion to enforce mandatory mask-wearing, he said, "It is difficult to establish a legal system. Enacting a law will not necessarily solve the issue. Voluntary participation by the public will rather help maintain the quarantine front for a longer time."

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