"Beach Reservation System Introduced Amid Concerns Over 'Ineffective Alternatives'...Citizens Feel 'Uneasy'"

Government Introduces Beach Reservation System for Summer Vacation Season
Citizens Point Out "Unlikely to Prevent Cluster Infections"
Experts Call for "Practical Measures Like Strengthened Social Distancing"

On the afternoon of the 31st of last month, children are enjoying water play at Haeundae Beach in Busan.
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] As all the beaches nationwide simultaneously announced their opening, concerns are rising as vacationers are expected to flock to beaches in various regions. The government has announced plans to introduce a beach reservation system during the summer vacation season, but local governments are reportedly expressing reluctance.

Civilians pointed out that it is practically impossible to maintain 1-meter distancing or follow quarantine rules at crowded vacation spots during peak holiday seasons, and they raised criticism that the government's proposed reservation system lacks effectiveness.

Experts warned that such measures would not be able to prevent the massive population movement during the vacation season, potentially leading to the spread of COVID-19.

The government’s stance is to prevent population congestion in advance to curb the spread of COVID-19. Park Neunghoo, the first deputy head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of Health and Welfare), said at the Central Disaster Headquarters meeting on the 18th, "Ahead of the full-fledged summer vacation season, the quarantine authorities and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will introduce a beach reservation system to disperse beachgoers," adding, "Local governments are asked to present good ideas."

Accordingly, Jeollanam-do announced a plan for the 'Safe Beach Reservation System' on the 17th. Under this plan, only visitors who make advance reservations online will be allowed to enter the sandy beaches.

However, most local governments have expressed that it is difficult to implement the government’s proposed alternative. Except for Jeonnam, other regions are seeking different measures due to a lack of preparation time or difficulties in controlling vacationers. In fact, there is no suitable method to regulate the influx of vacationers all at once during the holiday season.

Given this situation, beaches with high population density have introduced individual quarantine rules. Large beaches such as Haeundae in Busan, which sees over 300,000 visitors annually, will operate with parasols spaced 2 meters apart.

Additionally, Busan City plans to implement measures tailored to each beach’s characteristics, including △ operating COVID-19 response teams for beaches △ refraining from events such as opening ceremonies on the beach △ operating focused campaigns for social distancing and continuous public awareness on the beach △ strengthening disinfection of facilities △ and operating contact information drop boxes.

On the afternoon of the 5th, medical staff are assisting citizens with medical registration at the COVID-19 screening clinic set up in front of the Gwanak-gu Public Health Center in Seoul.
Photo by Yonhap News

The problem is that there are no safety management measures for convenience facilities around the beaches. As a result, some argue that since the COVID-19 situation continues, people should simply avoid high-risk vacation spots altogether.

An office worker, A (33), said, "People will flock to the beaches, and wearing masks alone won’t prevent infections," adding, "Is it really over if we just keep 1 to 2 meters distance? People will definitely gather at nearby convenience facilities."

He continued, "I can already picture crowded public restrooms, showers, and restaurants, and I think the government is being too complacent," adding, "They should show their appreciation through actions, not just words."

Experts suggested focusing on realistic measures to ensure compliance with quarantine rules. Professor Kim Woojoo, an infectious disease specialist at Korea University Guro Hospital, said, "It is hard to see the reservation system working well at this point. A reservation system is only feasible in a controllable, somewhat limited space, but it will be difficult for local governments to control hundreds of thousands of people."

He added, "Currently, not only the metropolitan area but also local areas such as Daejeon and Jeonju are experiencing a surge in cases. The massive population movement during the July-August summer vacation could lead to nationwide spread," advising, "At this point, social distancing must be strengthened to reduce confirmed cases. At minimum, realistic measures are needed to extend the vacation period and allow for more evenly distributed travel."

Meanwhile, as of the 19th, the number of new domestic COVID-19 cases was 49, of which 32 were confirmed as community transmission cases.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that as of midnight on the day, the total number of COVID-19 cases increased by 49 from the previous day to 12,531. By region, 17 cases were reported in Seoul and 9 in Gyeonggi Province, totaling 26 cases in the metropolitan area. Six additional cases were confirmed in Daejeon.

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