Incheon City Strongly Cracks Down on Academies, Karaoke Rooms, and Danranjumeok under 'Quarantine Rule Compliance Order'

Recommendation to Refrain from Running Academies... Full Survey of Instructors Visiting Itaewon

Incheon Mayor Park Nam-chun (right) and Incheon Superintendent of Education Do Seong-hoon are holding an emergency press conference on the 13th regarding the 'Incheon Academy COVID-19 Cluster Infection' originating from Itaewon clubs.
[Photo by Incheon City]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Incheon City will launch a large-scale crackdown on academies, singing practice rooms, and entertainment bars that have been ordered to comply with quarantine rules following the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) originating from Itaewon clubs.

The city announced on the 14th that it will conduct joint inspections with 10 districts and the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education targeting these businesses, which are excluded from the gathering ban order facilities, as it has issued recommendations to refrain from operation and orders to comply with quarantine rules.

After a cluster infection occurred due to contact with academy instructor A (25 years old, patient number 102), who was confirmed positive for COVID-19 after visiting an Itaewon club, the city is actively recommending that academies refrain from operating and, together with the education office, is conducting a full survey of academy and tutoring instructors regarding their history of visiting Itaewon.

As of the end of December last year, there are 11,915 workers in academies and tutoring centers in the region, of which 11,524 are Korean nationals and 391 are foreigners.

In Incheon, secondary and tertiary infections are spreading mainly among students who had contact with academy instructor A. As of this morning, the total number of additional confirmed cases is 13, including one fellow instructor, eight students, two parents, one private tutor, and one acquaintance.

The city also plans to conduct on-site inspections of 2,376 singing practice rooms and 572 entertainment bars, with plans to impose closure orders and fines if quarantine rules are not followed.

To preemptively block the balloon effect where existing users of entertainment facilities move to singing practice rooms that illegally sell alcoholic beverages and arrange hostesses, the city plans to form joint inspection teams with districts and the police and conduct intensive inspections until the 24th.

Crackdowns will also be conducted on similar entertainment business activities in general restaurants such as hunting pochas and emotional pubs, where sound equipment is installed and customers are allowed to dance.

Earlier, on the 10th, Incheon City issued a gathering ban order for two weeks starting at 8 p.m. on clubs, room salons, singing clubs, stand bars, cabarets, and colatecs. The gathering ban order prohibits people from gathering in entertainment establishments, effectively ordering a business suspension.

Violating the administrative order can result in a maximum of two years imprisonment or a fine of 20 million won, and if the violation causes the spread of infection, quarantine costs may be charged.

Meanwhile, as the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases increases in the region, Incheon City has postponed some opening schedules of cultural welfare facilities for the disabled and elderly, and plans to take follow-up measures for private indoor sports facilities and PC rooms based on the investigation and inspection opinions of quarantine experts.

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