"Itaewon Club-Related Mass Infection Spread" ... Busan City Enforces Forced Closure of Entertainment Venues

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kang Sharon] To prevent the regional spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) originating from clubs in Itaewon, Seoul, Busan City issued an administrative order on the 12th to forcibly suspend the operation of entertainment facilities.

The city announced that from noon on the 12th until noon on the 26th, a 14-day business suspension order will be issued to 71 high-risk infectious disease facilities in entertainment venues within Busan.

Accordingly, for 71 club-type establishments including 14 clubs, 15 emotional pubs, and 42 colatecs, the police, district and county officials, and consumer monitors will jointly inspect and enforce compliance with the administrative order daily for two weeks.

Facilities that do not comply with the administrative order will be immediately criminally prosecuted under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, and if confirmed cases occur, strong measures such as claiming compensation for all quarantine costs including investigation, testing, and treatment from business operators and facility users will be taken. At the same time, 2,481 other entertainment pubs in the city will be advised to voluntarily suspend operations and will be monitored for compliance with quarantine guidelines to preemptively block group infections.

Multi-use facilities must designate an infection control officer, require all users and workers to wear masks, and prohibit entry of individuals with respiratory symptoms such as fever, sore throat, or cough. They must also comply with seven quarantine guidelines including maintaining visitor logs, ensuring all visitors sanitize their hands, making efforts to keep maximum distance between users, and conducting regular ventilation, disinfection, and cleaning.

The city plans to immediately issue suspension orders to entertainment pubs that do not comply with quarantine guidelines.

Byun Sung-wan, Acting Mayor of Busan, said, "This is an unavoidable measure to prevent the risk of potential group infections," adding, "As seen in the Itaewon club case, the risk of group infections still lurks, so we cannot let our guard down even for a moment."

Busan City plans to closely cooperate with neighboring Ulsan City and Gyeongnam Province to gradually adjust response levels to prevent a balloon effect within the Southeast region.

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