Dongdaemun-gu, Measures Following the Easing of Social Distancing to Level 1

Resumption of High-Risk Facilities like Singing Practice Rooms and PC Rooms Allowed... Reopening of Senior Centers, Welfare Centers, Sports Centers, Libraries, etc.
- Fines Imposed for Mask Violations in Multi-Use Facilities, Up to 3 Million Won Support for Small Business Store Reopenings

Yoo Deok-yeol, Mayor of Dongdaemun District, is doing his best in disinfection together with the volunteer quarantine team.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] As the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases continues to decline recently and the spread of infection during the Chuseok holiday is being managed stably, the quarantine authorities have downgraded the strengthened social distancing level 2 measures, which had been in place for two months, to level 1.

In accordance with the quarantine authorities' guidelines, the district has instructed high-risk facilities such as clubs, room salons, entertainment bars, colatecs, karaoke bars, hunting pubs, singing practice rooms, indoor standing concert halls, indoor group exercise (intense GX types), large academies (over 300 people), buffets, and PC rooms?excluding direct sales promotion centers like door-to-door sales?to comply with quarantine rules including visitor log management, symptom checks, facility disinfection, and ventilation, and to resume operations. However, facilities such as clubs, room salons, entertainment bars, colatecs, karaoke bars, and hunting pubs must apply strengthened quarantine rules, limiting the number of users to one person per 4㎡ of permitted or reported area.

In the metropolitan area, some level 2 measures remain in place. General restaurants, cafes, bakeries (over 150㎡), water parks, amusement parks, performance venues, movie theaters, PC rooms, academies (under 300 people), vocational training centers, study cafes, arcades, religious facilities, indoor wedding halls, bathhouses and saunas, indoor sports facilities, multi-rooms/DVD rooms, funeral halls, and other facilities are subject to mandatory quarantine rules. Facility workers and users must strictly adhere to mask-wearing, visitor log management, regular ventilation, and disinfection.

Additionally, multi-use facilities that had been closed by the district will reopen.

133 senior centers that were closed due to the elevation to social distancing level 2 will reopen, along with 29 district libraries, Dongdaemun Comprehensive Social Welfare Center, Jangan Comprehensive Social Welfare Center, Dongdaemun Food Bank Market, 13 local children’s centers, 2 Kiwoom Centers, 10 youth reading rooms, Youth Counseling and Welfare Center, Out-of-School Youth Center, Dongdaemun District Sports Center, Dongdaemun Gymnasium, Imun Sports Center, Seoul Oriental Medicine Promotion Center, and Dongdaemun District Healthy Family Multicultural Support Center, among others.

Furthermore, starting from the 13th of this month, after a 30-day grace period, fines will be imposed for mask-wearing violations at gathering-restricted facilities, public transportation, assembly and protest sites, medical institutions, nursing facilities, and day/night care facilities. Violators will face fines up to 100,000 KRW, and managers/operators up to 3 million KRW.

The district will provide support funds of up to 3 million KRW to small business stores struggling due to closures and quarantine measures following visits by confirmed COVID-19 cases. This support covers costs such as materials, publicity, and utilities needed for reopening. Stores that received support for damages caused by confirmed cases in the first half of 2020 will receive only the difference in the support amount.

Additionally, from February to July, the district supported 56 small business stores affected by visits from confirmed cases with a total of 135 million KRW.

Currently, the district has a total of 168 confirmed cases, 19,187 total tests conducted, 141 recoveries, and 299 individuals under self-quarantine. All administrative resources are being mobilized to overcome COVID-19.

Yoo Deok-yeol, Mayor of Dongdaemun District, stated, “With the easing to social distancing level 1, we hope to achieve both quarantine and economic outcomes. Although social distancing has been downgraded, local transmission cases continue to occur steadily, so a high level of civic awareness is required. For the health and safety of all residents, we ask everyone to strictly follow basic preventive measures such as wearing masks, washing hands, and resting when feeling unwell.”

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