"Museums and Art Galleries Not Allowed but Room Salons Are? Citizens 'Protest' Against Inconsistent Standards"

Citizens "Are Libraries and Museums More Dangerous Than Room Salons?"
Seoul City "Room Salons Have Relatively Lower Transmission Risk in Terms of Activity and Proximity"
Experts "Need to Strengthen Administrative Measures Against Entertainment Establishments"

On the morning of the 16th, a karaoke venue in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, where a confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) had worked / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] As the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) continues to spread mainly in the Seoul metropolitan area, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has lifted the 'gathering ban' order imposed on general entertainment facilities such as roomsalons and eased it to a 'gathering restriction,' sparking strong public backlash.

Concerns arise because the COVID-19 spread has not been contained, and easing administrative measures on roomsalons, which have a high risk of transmission, could increase the risk of local infection spread. Citizens also pointed out that public facilities in the metropolitan area, such as art galleries and museums, which have relatively lower infection risks, remain closed indefinitely, raising voices saying, "We cannot understand the quarantine standards."

On the 15th at 6 p.m., Seoul lifted the 'gathering ban' order on general entertainment facilities such as roomsalons and issued a 'gathering restriction' order, a step down in severity.

The city explained, "This will first apply to general entertainment facilities such as roomsalons, which have relatively lower transmission power in terms of activity level and closeness, and will be sequentially applied to dance entertainment facilities such as clubs, colatecs, and emotional pubs." Accordingly, roomsalon owners must comply with strengthened quarantine rules, including maintaining a distance of at least 1 meter between tables and operating a reservation system during peak hours.

However, there is growing public anxiety as it is uncertain whether these quarantine rules will actually be followed. Criticism also arises that it is hard to consider the transmission power of COVID-19 low in roomsalons and other entertainment establishments where customer service occurs in enclosed spaces.

A 28-year-old office worker, A, said, "Roomsalons are much more vulnerable to COVID-19 cluster infections than museums or art galleries. Museums and art galleries can follow government-recommended quarantine guidelines such as '2-meter distancing,' but it is questionable whether roomsalons can maintain distancing."

He added, "Honestly, given the current situation where medical staff are struggling, I question whether people should be enjoying entertainment at roomsalons. The hardship faced by medical staff on the COVID-19 frontlines is greater than the difficulties roomsalon operators face in making a living."

A 30-something office worker, B, also raised his voice, saying, "Every day at rush hour, disaster alert messages tell us to 'refrain from conversation,' yet roomsalons are reopening, which seems contradictory," and "I don't understand the situation where roomsalons operate while the National Library is completely locked down."

On the morning of the 11th of last month, a temporary closure notice was posted on the entrance door of an entertainment establishment in Namdong-gu, Incheon/Photo by Yonhap News

The quarantine authorities announced on the 12th that they will indefinitely extend the strengthened social distancing measures, including the suspension of operations at public and multi-use facilities such as art galleries, museums, and national and public theaters in the metropolitan area.

Voices criticizing Seoul's lifting of the gathering ban on entertainment facilities are also rising in the political sphere. Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, strongly criticized the move on the 15th by sharing related articles on his Facebook, saying, "Are they sane?"

Ahn said, "At this time when the spread from Itaewon clubs raises concerns about a second COVID-19 outbreak in the metropolitan area, this is like creating new flashpoints across the metropolitan area," adding, "Our children are anxiously attending school every day. I believe entertainment business owners will understand the current situation. Seoul should immediately revoke this."

Experts believe that administrative measures on entertainment establishments such as roomsalons, where close contact in enclosed spaces is inevitable due to the nature of the venue, need to be strengthened.

Professor Kim Woo-joo, an infectious disease specialist at Korea University Guro Hospital, said, "Confirmed cases are increasing in the metropolitan area and are out of control, so measures should be strengthened rather than eased," and criticized, "It is hard to understand the situation where roomsalons, which inevitably involve close contact in enclosed spaces, are allowed to open while museums and art galleries remain closed."

Professor Kim emphasized, "Since sporadic cluster infections are occurring in the metropolitan area, it is necessary to return to social distancing and tighten quarantine measures. Otherwise, it could trigger a second large-scale outbreak. We have been warning about this and stressing the need to prevent a major outbreak in the metropolitan area since last month."

On the 11th, the screening clinic at Yangcheon-gu Public Health Center in Seoul / Photo by Yonhap News

A Seoul city official explained that the decision to ease administrative measures was made because roomsalons have low transmission power due to low activity levels inside and no confirmed cases.

Park Bong-gyu, head of the Food Policy Division at Seoul City, said on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the 16th, "This measure applies only to roomsalons, not to clubs with high droplet activity, which remain under gathering restrictions," adding, "So far, there have been no confirmed COVID-19 cases in roomsalons, and compliance with the gathering ban order has been cooperative, with a compliance rate of over 98%, which was the basis for this decision."

Park added, "There are currently about 1,800 registered roomsalons. The government has designated high-risk facilities. If conditions such as natural or mechanical ventilation, limiting the number of users per area, maintaining distance between tables, and prohibiting movement between rooms or tables are met, the facility is downgraded from high-risk to medium-risk. High-risk facilities are subject to gathering bans or restrictions, while medium-risk facilities have restrictions lifted. The city has only shifted from a ban to a restriction."

Meanwhile, a confirmed case has occurred among workers at entertainment facilities where the gathering ban was lifted by Seoul City.

According to Seoul City on the 16th, a woman in her 20s, C, working at a D entertainment establishment located in a hotel in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, tested positive for COVID-19 on the 15th. It was found that C showed related symptoms on the 14th and underwent diagnostic testing at a screening clinic in a hospital in Geumcheon-gu.

The establishment had suspended operations for about a month under the gathering ban order and reopened on the 15th. It was confirmed that C stayed there for about three hours on the 14th with other employees. Quarantine authorities are identifying contacts and have ordered all employees present at the establishment at the same time to undergo testing and self-quarantine.

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