Fines of 100,000 Won for Violating Quarantine Rules... Will Enforcement Be Effective?

Enforcement of Infectious Disease Control Act from the 13th... Fines for Administrative Order Violations Starting Next Month
Citizens React: "Too Late Now," "Seems Ineffective"
Experts: "Uncoordinated Measures... Government Must Present a Big Picture"

A screen showing information related to the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act. Starting from the 13th, the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, which allows fines to be imposed for violating administrative orders related to infectious disease prevention, will be enforced. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] As the social distancing level has been adjusted to level 1, starting next month, under the revised Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, facility owners and customers who violate quarantine rules such as failing to fill out visitor logs or not wearing masks will be fined. However, there are criticisms regarding the effectiveness of this measure and concerns that it may be an example of excessive administration. Experts have pointed out that this is an administratively convenient idea.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on the 11th, social distancing was lowered to level 1 starting at midnight on the 12th. However, some strengthened quarantine rules will still apply in the metropolitan area.

The government announced that the revised Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, which allows fines to be imposed for violating administrative orders related to infectious disease prevention, will be enforced starting from the 13th.

Park Neung-hoo, the first deputy head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of Health and Welfare), stated at a briefing on the 11th, "While expanding the autonomy of each quarantine subject, we are increasing accountability for quarantine. If important quarantine rules are intentionally or repeatedly violated, the facility will be prohibited from gathering or fined up to 3 million KRW as before."

Deputy Park explained, "According to the revision of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, starting November 13, fines will be imposed on operators and users of facilities that violate quarantine rules. In cases of serious violations, local government heads may also order suspension of facility operations for up to three months."

Accordingly, 16 types of facilities and businesses, including general restaurants, cafes, bakeries (over 150㎡), water parks, amusement parks, movie theaters, PC rooms, academies (under 300 people), study cafes, religious facilities, indoor wedding halls, bathhouses, and saunas, must comply with core quarantine rules such as mask-wearing, visitor log management, and social distancing between users.

The government plans to impose fines of up to 100,000 KRW on violators and up to 3 million KRW on managers or operators if core quarantine rules are violated at facilities where mandatory measures apply. After a one-month guidance period, enforcement will begin in earnest from the 13th of next month.

However, among citizens, there are also questions about the effectiveness of such administrative orders. It is argued that since local government officials must conduct inspections themselves, it is difficult to monitor all target facilities due to manpower shortages and other reasons.

Some have criticized this as "belated excessive administration." In particular, there are concerns about the damage to self-employed people who are already suffering economic difficulties due to the spread of COVID-19.

A thermometer and a visitor log are provided at a franchise coffee shop in downtown Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

A 27-year-old office worker, A, said, "The COVID-19 situation has lasted for over half a year, so I don't understand why such measures are being introduced now. Since different industries will be subject to different rules, and most citizens are already complying with quarantine rules, I think this will only increase fatigue."

B, a 31-year-old self-employed person who runs a private cafe, said, "I understand the government's intention to prevent re-spread, but I am also worried. Self-employed people have already been hit hard by COVID-19, and I am concerned that fines will cause even greater damage."

B added, "From the owner's perspective, even if you try to strictly follow quarantine rules, it is difficult to manage if customers briefly remove masks in places that are not visible. If it's hard for me running a small shop, how about larger businesses? I think the responsibility for violating quarantine rules should primarily lie with the violators themselves."

As doubts about the effectiveness of quarantine rule enforcement continue among citizens, the government repeatedly urged compliance with quarantine rules.

Deputy Park emphasized in his opening remarks at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting held at the Government Complex Sejong on the 12th, "It has been almost two months since Liberation Day, and although not yet at a complete level, we have returned to level 1. To balance quarantine and daily life, all members of society should comply with quarantine rules in their respective positions."

He continued, "Over the past three weeks, daily confirmed cases have been below 100, with about 50 in the metropolitan area and about 15 in non-metropolitan areas. The number of confirmed patients isolated and receiving treatment has decreased from about 4,800 in early September to about 1,500 recently, indicating an overall improvement in medical response capacity. However, sporadic cluster infections are occurring in several regions, so we need to observe how the impact of the Chuseok and October holidays will unfold."

Experts suggested that measures that can gain public understanding and consent are necessary.

Professor Kim Tae-gi of Dankook University's Department of Economics said, "Because it is such an administratively convenient idea, it is misunderstood and distrust of the government is increasing. Regarding effectiveness, it is out of sync. Imposing fines when the social distancing level is not elevated but lowered is a mismatched measure."

Professor Kim emphasized, "Since the principle seems lost, citizens inevitably resist. The government needs to present a big picture."

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