"Giving Up Daily Life for a Week" ... Seoul City Declares '10 Million Citizens Pause Week' Until September 6 (Comprehensive)

Daily COVID-19 Cases Exceed 100 Due to Cluster Infections
Surge in 'Kkamkkami' Undetected Cases... Forced Testing and Prosecution for Refusal
Request to Refrain from All Night Activities and Eating Outside the Home

As the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) rapidly spreads nationwide, the number of new confirmed cases surged to the 400s on the 27th, causing the screening clinic set up at Yeongdeungpo-gu Public Health Center in Seoul to be crowded with citizens seeking tests. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The current situation of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in Seoul is at a level where "anyone, anywhere can be infected without knowing it, without exception," the Seoul Metropolitan Government warned. To overcome this crisis, the city has designated the period until the 6th of next month as the "Ten Million Citizens Pause Week."

Seo Jeong-hyeop, Acting Mayor of Seoul, held an online briefing on the 30th and stated, "Even though the quarantine authorities are expanding diagnostic testing capabilities to focus on extinguishing large and small fires, new sparks continue to flare up, and the spread is not subsiding." He emphasized, "In particular, the increase in 'dark figure confirmed cases' (those with unidentified infection routes) sends a strong warning that all of us, without exception, can be infected unknowingly anywhere in our daily spaces."

The recent epicenters of COVID-19 spread are Seongbuk-gu Sarang Jeil Church and the Gwanghwamun rally on Liberation Day. Acting Mayor Seo explained, "Out of 3,541 people related to Sarang Jeil Church who need testing, 2,255 have been tested, resulting in 592 confirmed cases. Regarding the Gwanghwamun rally, out of 15,754 people under investigation, 8,064 have completed testing as of yesterday, with 76 confirmed cases." He added, "For those who have not yet been tested or are unreachable, we plan to cooperate with the police to conduct direct visits, compulsory investigations, and take legal action."

Although Seoul is accelerating testing related to Sarang Jeil Church and the Gwanghwamun rally, the number of new daily confirmed cases continues to remain in the triple digits, various cluster infections are occurring in many places, and the increase in 'dark figure' confirmed cases with unknown transmission routes continues. The proportion of cases with unclear infection routes among all confirmed COVID-19 cases in Seoul increased significantly from 7.1% in the second week of August (9th?15th), to 16.9% in the third week (16th?22nd), and 31.9% in the fourth week (23rd?28th).

As the situation worsens, Seoul has designated the period until September 6th as the "Ten Million Citizens Pause Week." In line with the government's strengthened Level 2 social distancing measures, the city urges citizens to refrain from all nighttime activities and eating or drinking outside the home within Seoul.

Acting Mayor Seo appealed, "Only an excessive level of vigilance and thorough, intense practice can stop the rapid spread of the infectious disease." He urged, "For one week, each citizen should act as a subject of quarantine by refraining from going out and meeting others as much as possible, stopping outdoor activities, and strictly observing social distancing." He particularly pointed out that the proportion of confirmed cases aged 20 to 40 in the past week reached 38.5% of all cases, emphasizing, "We will focus on minimizing the 'three Cs'?close contact, crowded places, and confined spaces?among young people to enhance the effectiveness of social distancing."

He also said, "For self-employed business owners and small merchants who must stop operations immediately, this will undoubtedly be a long and difficult time, but if we do not endure the pain now and fail to curb the spread, the worst-case scenario of our economy coming to an indefinite halt could occur." He urged, "Please endure a little longer and actively participate in quarantine measures."

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