"Don't even attend weddings?" Controversy over privacy invasion with 'gathering restrictions' extending to call centers and funeral halls...

Gyeonggi-do Requires 9 to 13 Rules for Wedding Halls and Funeral Homes
Business Allowed Only If Quarantine Rules Are Followed
Criticism of Personal Privacy Invasion
Experts Say "Problematic Due to Lack of Sufficient Discussion"

Gyeonggi Province recently selected targets among logistics-related industries where cluster infections occurred, industries with many users and weak safety management, and multi-use facilities, considering their impact on the national economy.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] #Office worker A (27), who stated that he lives in Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, was invited to a friend's wedding a week ago. However, the province has issued an administrative order restricting gatherings for two weeks at multi-use facilities, including wedding halls, putting him in a difficult situation. A said, "My friend had been carefully preparing the wedding before the government's guidelines were announced, but is worried that many guests won't be able to attend," adding, "Honestly, I'm also conflicted about whether I should go or not. There are too many guidelines to follow. It feels like they're just telling us not to go."

Gyeonggi-do issued an administrative order restricting gatherings for two weeks starting from the previous day (the 1st) at multi-use facilities with many users and vulnerable safety management, such as logistics warehouses, call centers, funeral halls, and wedding halls, sparking concerns about privacy invasion.

In particular, wedding halls must comply with nine quarantine rules, including △managing visitor logs (name, phone number, ID verification, logs to be kept for 4 weeks and then discarded) △prohibition of contact between guests, maintaining at least 1 meter distance, etc., leading to criticism that it effectively means not to attend.

Im Seung-kwan, co-head of the Gyeonggi-do COVID-19 Emergency Response Team, said at a regular briefing on the 1st, "We are issuing an administrative order restricting gatherings at multi-use facilities such as logistics warehouses, call centers, funeral halls, and wedding halls from 3 p.m. on the 1st until midnight on the 14th," adding, "This decision was made to block transmission to the community as large-scale COVID-19 infection cases have recently occurred at workplaces in the metropolitan area."

The order targets 1,586 places, including 1,219 logistics facilities such as logistics warehouses, transportation and courier logistics facilities, and collection centers, 61 call centers, 177 funeral halls, and 129 wedding halls within the province.

The province selected the targets considering recent cluster infections in logistics-related industries, industries with many users and vulnerable safety management, and multi-use facilities, taking into account national economic activities.

Accordingly, these facilities may only gather for business if they comply with quarantine rules and must follow common workplace guidelines and major individual workplace rules. Violations will result in sanctions such as prosecution and claims for damages by the province.

However, citizens are voicing dissatisfaction with this policy, citing privacy invasion as they cannot attend scheduled family and social events during this period.

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, Gyeonggi Province to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection. Photo by Yonhap News.

B, a 30-year-old office worker, said, "Logistics centers and call centers are known cluster infection sites, but isn't it too much for weddings and funerals?" He raised his voice, saying, "This is a clear invasion of privacy. It's the peak wedding season, but it seems unfair to decide arbitrarily without listening to the citizens' opinions."

Another office worker, C (29), also expressed frustration, saying, "No matter how serious the COVID-19 situation is, this is unacceptable. It ruins a once-in-a-lifetime wedding. How will they compensate those people?" and "Even if it's just two weeks, isn't this a violation of human rights?"

Some argue that the policy is necessary to prevent COVID-19 infections, especially as cluster infections have been rapidly occurring centered around churches in the Incheon area.

Gyeonggi-do Governor Lee Jae-myung stated on his Facebook on the same day, "Until now, quarantine rules for businesses were only recommendations, so if they were not followed, there were no consequences. Since businesses aim for profit, there have been cases of violating quarantine rules when it benefits them," adding, "If quarantine rules are not followed, all members of the community can be put at risk. Sanctions for violations are inevitable for public safety."

He continued, "This is also an unavoidable measure to prevent a full shutdown due to worsening conditions. It is a desperate measure to prevent a greater sacrifice with a small one," emphasizing, "If this order is violated or if the response after confirmed cases is inadequate, increasing the risk of spread, secondary gathering bans and tertiary closures cannot be avoided."

Experts pointed out issues such as privacy invasion due to insufficient discussion.

Kim Woo-joo, professor of infectious diseases at Korea University Guro Hospital, said, "It is right to ensure that measures like maintaining 1-meter distance, temperature checks, and hand washing are well observed," but added, "Wedding halls and funeral halls have not had confirmed cases. They are different from entertainment facilities or places where recent cluster infections occurred. Enforcement should target places where rules are not followed. Monitoring places without problems as a preventive measure is a policy lacking principle and consistency."

He added, "There are people who have already booked weddings and unexpected deaths for funerals. Proceeding like this only causes confusion among citizens," and "It is being carried out without sufficient discussion, causing various problems such as privacy invasion."

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