"Itaewon Club Outbreak Sparks Conflict Over 'Entertainment Venue Closures' vs. 'Starvation Risk'"

Nationwide Ban on Gathering at Entertainment Venues in 12 Cities and Provinces
"Entertainment Workers Are Citizens Too... Please Respect Them" Petition Emerges
Experts Say "Step-by-Step Approach Needed by Sector"

On the afternoon of the 11th, public officials posted an administrative order banning gatherings to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) at a club in Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] As a large number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) have emerged mainly among people who visited clubs in the Itaewon area of Seoul, 12 metropolitan cities and provinces including Seoul, Incheon, and Daegu have issued orders to prohibit gatherings at entertainment establishments within their jurisdictions.

Entertainment facility owners are protesting, saying their right to livelihood is immediately threatened. Citizens are responding positively to such measures and are insisting that entertainment venues must be closed until the situation is under control, intensifying conflicts surrounding this issue.

Experts emphasized the need for a 'gradual approach' in lifting restrictions on high-risk facilities later.

To prevent a recurrence of the COVID-19 cluster infection originating from Itaewon clubs, 12 metropolitan cities and provinces nationwide have implemented 'gathering prohibition' orders for entertainment facilities. According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) on the 12th, as of the 11th, a total of 10 metropolitan cities and provinces including △Seoul △Daegu △Incheon △Daejeon △Ulsan △Sejong △Gyeonggi △Chungbuk △Chungnam △Gyeongnam have issued gathering prohibition orders for entertainment facilities.

△Busan and △Gyeongbuk are also expected to issue additional administrative orders to prohibit gatherings. Including these two, the total number of metropolitan cities and provinces issuing gathering prohibition administrative orders will increase to 12.

Photo by Cheongwadae National Petition Board Capture

In response to these measures by local governments, some workers in entertainment establishments are appealing for livelihood guarantees. They argue that since they pay more taxes than regular restaurants, they deserve respect as citizens.

On the 12th, a post titled "Entertainment workers are also citizens!" was uploaded on the Blue House National Petition Board. As of 10 a.m. on the 13th, the petition had garnered over 8,200 signatures.

The petitioner stated, "Entertainment facility workers lose all income due to the gathering prohibition order. Isn't this too harsh?" and raised their voice against "extreme administrative orders only targeting entertainment venues, even though there are many places where people crowd and have close contact in confined spaces."

They further appealed, "How are we supposed to live immediately? Ending COVID-19 is important, but entertainment facility workers are also citizens of the Republic of Korea. Because of being entertainment facilities, we pay several times more taxes than other industries," and added, "We want to be respected as citizens."

This has sparked criticism from netizens. The prevailing view is that administrative orders against entertainment venues are justified because COVID-19 re-spread due to entertainment establishments not properly following quarantine guidelines.

Multi-use facilities like entertainment venues must comply with rules such as △all users and workers wearing masks △preparing and managing user logs (name, contact information, entry time, etc.) △hand sanitization for all entrants △making efforts to maintain maximum distance between users.

However, due to the nature of entertainment venues where many people gather in enclosed spaces, it is difficult to comply with these rules.

Although mask-wearing and log preparation are recommended upon club entry, there is no means to sanction those who do not wear masks inside clubs. Also, there is no penalty for falsifying the mandatory entry logs. It was confirmed that visitors to clubs in the Itaewon area also submitted false logs.

On the 12th, Yongsan-gu Public Health Center officials are conducting disinfection work at the club 'Made' in Itaewon, Yongsan-gu, Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

As a result, voices are emerging that all entertainment establishments should temporarily suspend operations until the COVID-19 situation calms down.

A 27-year-old office worker A, employed at a small and medium-sized enterprise, argued, "This situation arose because establishments did not follow quarantine guidelines, so suspending operations is a natural measure."

He added, "It's not only entertainment workers who are struggling. Due to COVID-19, companies are facing difficulties, self-employed people and students whose semester start has been delayed are all having a hard time. All establishments should suspend operations at least until COVID-19 subsides. If not, such incidents could happen repeatedly."

A 25-year-old university student B attending a university in Seoul also opposed the operation of entertainment venues. He criticized, "Because of COVID-19, we cannot return to normal life. Schools are holding online classes, and casual drinking gatherings with friends have disappeared. Just as new confirmed cases were decreasing and the situation was calming, the Itaewon club cluster infection broke out."

He added, "'I thought it would be okay if I went just once'?because of this mindset, everyone suffered. I oppose the operation of entertainment venues and emphasize the need for thorough personal quarantine measures such as wearing masks."

Experts emphasized the need for a 'gradual approach' in lifting restrictions on high-risk facilities later. Professor Kim Wooju, an infectious disease specialist at Korea University Guro Hospital, said, "(The Itaewon club COVID-19 incident) was problematic because restrictions on high-risk places were lifted first," and pointed out, "During the transition to everyday quarantine, the government needed to be more meticulous by adopting a gradual approach."

He continued, "I have repeatedly said that lifting restrictions on high-risk facilities prematurely is problematic. Among other countries worldwide, no country initially lifted restrictions on high-risk facilities such as entertainment venues," he emphasized.

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