Daegu City Avoids 'Gathering Ban' for High-Risk Facilities... "Stronger Than Government Proposal" Overhyped

Most Metropolitan Areas Including Pohang, Gyeongbuk Enforce 'Mandatory Level 2'
Daegu Limits Only Clubs, Emotional Pubs, and Colatecs... "Considering Livelihoods of Ordinary People"

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Dong-wook] Regarding the elevation of social distancing to Level 2 due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), unlike most metropolitan governments that imposed a 'gathering ban' on high-risk multi-use facilities on the 23rd, Daegu City maintained a 'gathering restriction' level.

In this regard, some local voices express concerns that Daegu City's announcement of implementing a 'Daegu-style Level 2 social distancing' policy stronger than the government's plan is a careless response that misses the core issue.

In fact, at the quarantine meeting held on the 22nd, the city’s quarantine team reportedly recommended imposing a 'gathering ban' on 13 industries classified as high-risk facilities, except for distribution logistics centers.

However, the final decision set the quarantine rules to mandatory 'gathering restrictions' for 13 high-risk industries and 12 medium-risk industries. Only clubs, emotional pubs, and colatecs were required to impose additional quarantine rules limiting the number of users (1 person per 4㎡).

Regarding this easing policy, Daegu City explained that ▲no confirmed cases had occurred at the facilities so far, ▲facility inspections showed strict compliance with quarantine rules, and ▲since these are livelihood-related industries, the damage would be significant if operations were suspended.

Meanwhile, city-level local governments in Gyeongbuk region such as Pohang City, as well as most metropolitan governments including Busan, Gyeongnam, and Ulsan, aligned with the nationwide expansion of the government's 'mandatory' Level 2 social distancing measures, imposing 'gathering bans' on most high-risk facility industries starting from the 23rd and began enforcement.

For reference, the high-risk multi-use facilities and medium-risk multi-use facilities are as follows.

◇ High-risk multi-use facilities (13 industries) ▲clubs and entertainment pubs such as room salons ▲colatecs ▲danran pubs ▲emotional pubs ▲hunting pochas ▲karaoke rooms ▲indoor standing performance halls ▲indoor group exercise (intense GX types) ▲buffets ▲PC rooms ▲direct sales promotion centers such as door-to-door sales ▲large academies (300 or more people) ▲distribution logistics centers

◇ Some high-risk facilities (12 industries) ▲academies ▲arcades ▲general restaurants above a certain size (300㎡ or more) ▲water parks ▲religious facilities ▲performance halls ▲indoor wedding halls ▲movie theaters ▲bathhouses and saunas ▲indoor sports facilities ▲multi-rooms and DVD rooms ▲funeral halls

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