Local Government-Imposed Social Distancing, Effectively Entering Stage 3

As the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) shows no signs of slowing down, banners related to social distancing and hand sanitizers have been installed along the Jungnangcheon Stream walking trail in Seoul. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] As the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), triggered mainly by religious facilities in the Seoul metropolitan area such as Sarang Jeil Church in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, is spreading nationwide again, the government and quarantine authorities are considering raising the current level 2 social distancing to the highest level 3. While carefully reviewing this in consideration of the negative impacts on the social and economic aspects of our citizens' lives, local governments on the front lines have already taken administrative measures equivalent to level 3 to block the pandemic early.

According to metropolitan area local governments on the 25th, Seoul began inspections from the previous day on 12 types of multi-use facilities subject to mandatory quarantine rules, including academies (under 300 people), religious facilities, performance halls, indoor wedding halls, cinemas, and indoor sports facilities. Wearing masks is also mandatory outdoors where crowds gather. If violations are detected, a two-week ban on gatherings will be imposed, and if confirmed cases occur, not only will claims for damages be made, but administrative actions will be taken immediately through a 'one-strike-out system.'

Incheon City also issued a complete ban on gatherings of 10 or more people for two weeks starting from midnight the previous day. All indoor and outdoor multi-use facilities, including Incheon Grand Park, Wolmi Park campgrounds, and stores, were completely closed. Gyeonggi Province has mandated mask-wearing through administrative orders since the 18th. On the 23rd, it inspected 10,382 religious facilities in the province to check compliance with quarantine rules such as non-face-to-face worship and bans on face-to-face meetings and meals.

Among non-metropolitan local governments, Busan conducted joint inspections from the 21st to 23rd on 6,617 high-risk facilities across 12 categories subject to gathering bans and decided to prosecute six facilities that violated administrative orders. Since the 17th, a 'one-strike-out system' has been implemented, issuing immediate gathering bans upon confirmation of quarantine violations at high-risk facilities. Jeollanam-do plans to inspect quarantine conditions for a total of 20 high- and medium-risk facility types for two weeks from the 23rd to September 5th.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, level 3 social distancing is stipulated to be implemented when the daily number of confirmed cases doubles twice within a week or when 'dark patients' with unknown infection routes and rapidly increasing managed cluster outbreaks occur. Upon entering this stage, administrative orders banning all gatherings, meetings, and events of 10 or more people in person will be activated, and all public facilities will cease operations. Private facilities classified as high-risk or medium-risk must also suspend operations. All sports events will be stopped. Some administrative measures implemented by local governments, such as bans on gatherings of 10 or more and closures of multi-use facilities, correspond to or are equivalent to level 3.

Park Neung-hoo, the first deputy head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of Health and Welfare), said, "This week is a critical turning point to decide whether to raise social distancing to level 3," and urged repeated practice of distancing, saying, "If level 3 starts, daily life will stop, and we must endure the hardship of jobs collapsing."

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