Incheon City Orders Religious Facilities to Restrict Gatherings Until the 23rd... Strengthening Social Distancing Measures to Level 2

Maintaining Gathering Restrictions for High-Risk Multi-Use Facilities... PC Rooms Added
Suspension of Multi-Use Facility Operations at Incheon Grand Park and Wolmi Park
Daycare Centers Advised to Remain Closed Until the 30th of This Month

Incheon City Hall

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Incheon City has decided to implement quarantine measures equivalent to Level 2 on its own in response to the government's decision to raise social distancing to Level 2 for the Seoul and Gyeonggi areas for two weeks starting from the 16th.

Considering the trend of the spread of COVID-19 cluster infections originating from religious facilities in Seoul and Gyeonggi, the city will strengthen quarantine measures for one week starting from the 16th.

First, a gathering restriction order has been issued for all religious facilities in the city until the 23rd of this month.

Since June 3rd this year, religious facilities in Incheon have been implementing 11 quarantine rules equivalent to gathering restrictions, including banning face-to-face meetings and events, maintaining visitor logs, and wearing masks. With this new measure, face-to-face meetings and events organized by religious facilities, except for regular worship, mass, and Buddhist ceremonies, as well as food provision and group meals, will be prohibited for one week.

For high-risk multi-use facilities, the existing mandatory quarantine rules (gathering restrictions) will be maintained, but starting from the 19th, PC rooms will be added to the high-risk facilities category. Additionally, all private and public gatherings, meetings, and events with more than 50 people indoors or more than 100 people outdoors are advised to be refrained from.

Multi-use facilities in Incheon Grand Park and Wolmi Park will also suspend operations until the 23rd, except for some outdoor spaces.

Incheon Grand Park will close the Wood Culture Experience Center, Environmental Future Hall, futsal field, dog playground, zoo, arboretum, sledding hill, and bicycle rental shop. Wolmi Park will suspend operations of Wolmi Culture Center, observatory, Yangjindang, Forest Gallery, sports field, and Mulbeom Car.

For daycare centers, which were originally scheduled to lift the closure order on the 18th, the district and county offices have recommended extending the closure until the 30th of this month. The city education office has also been asked to cooperate in adjusting the student density in frontline schools to about one-third.

Additionally, social welfare facilities used by vulnerable groups and the elderly will delay or adjust reopening times considering quarantine conditions. Quarantine management will be further strengthened not only for high-risk facilities but also for multi-use facilities such as community centers within apartment complexes.

The city plans to implement these self-imposed quarantine measures for one week and prepare additional measures if the situation worsens.

Mayor Park Namchun stated, "Although Incheon was excluded from the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters' social distancing Level 2 upgrade target, we decided to take preemptive action considering that the metropolitan area shares the same living zone," and urged, "Citizens should actively cooperate by adhering to personal hygiene and quarantine rules."

As of the morning of this day, the cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Incheon has risen to 410.

Since the 14th, 17 additional cases have been reported, including 9 related to Sarang Jeil Church in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, and 2 related to Uri Jeil Church in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi.

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