"Mandatory Quarantine Facilities Expanded from 12 to 23 Types... Mask Mandate Enforced"

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters has expanded the facilities subject to mandatory quarantine rules from the previous 12 types to 23 types.

Accordingly, at 9 types of high-priority management facilities and 14 types of general management facilities, basic quarantine rules such as mask-wearing, visitor log management, ventilation and disinfection, and facility-specific usage limits will be mandatory even at social distancing level 1.

The 9 high-priority management facilities include ▲ five types of entertainment venues such as clubs, roomsalons, danran pubs, gamseong pubs, colatecs, and hunting pochas ▲ karaoke rooms ▲ indoor standing performance halls ▲ direct sales promotion centers such as door-to-door sales ▲ restaurants and cafes (general restaurants, rest food establishments, and bakeries).

The 14 general management facilities include ▲ PC rooms ▲ wedding halls ▲ funeral halls ▲ academies (including private tutoring centers) ▲ vocational training institutions ▲ bathhouses ▲ performance halls ▲ movie theaters ▲ amusement parks and water parks ▲ arcades and multi-rooms ▲ indoor sports facilities ▲ hair and beauty salons ▲ stores, marts, and department stores ▲ reading rooms and study cafes.

Until now, the government classified facilities into high, medium, and low risk based on epidemiological investigation results, but it has reorganized them into a two-tier structure of high-priority and general management facilities.

Facilities with characteristics of close and dense contact, difficulty in wearing masks, and where multiple cluster infections have occurred have been designated as high-priority management facilities. Gathering bans are minimized, but multi-layered strengthened rules are applied according to the characteristics of each facility. Restrictions on the number of users and operating hours are tightened as the social distancing level increases.

Reorganization into a Two-Tier Structure of High-Priority and General Management Facilities
Mandatory Core Quarantine Rules for 9 Types of High-Priority Management Facilities

First, for the 9 types of high-priority management facilities, core quarantine rules such as mask-wearing, visitor log management, ventilation and disinfection, and facility-specific usage limits are mandatory under the level 1 daily quarantine system.

At level 1.5, when regional outbreaks begin, usage limits are expanded for facilities located in affected areas, and high-risk activities such as dancing in clubs are prohibited. At level 2, when regional outbreaks rapidly spread, the five types of entertainment venues located in the affected areas (clubs and other entertainment pubs, danran pubs, hunting pochas, gamseong pubs, colatecs) are banned from gathering, and other high-priority management facilities such as indoor standing performance halls must cease operations after 9 p.m., strengthening quarantine measures.

At nationwide outbreak levels 2.5 and 3, direct sales promotion centers such as door-to-door sales, karaoke rooms, and indoor standing performance halls are banned from gathering nationwide, and restaurants are only allowed takeout and delivery after 9 p.m.

For the 14 types of general management facilities, basic quarantine rules such as mask-wearing, visitor log management, and periodic ventilation and disinfection are mandatory under the level 1 daily quarantine system. Stores, marts, and department stores are excluded from visitor log management, and indoor sports facilities limit usage to one person per 4 square meters of facility area.

At level 1.5, when regional outbreaks begin, quarantine is strengthened by limiting usage to one person per 4 square meters for facilities located in affected areas. At level 2, when regional outbreaks rapidly spread, usage limits are expanded for facilities in affected areas, and high-risk activities such as eating are prohibited. Even when eating is prohibited, water and non-alcoholic beverages are allowed.

At nationwide outbreak level 2.5, most general management facilities must cease operations after 9 p.m., and at level 3, facilities other than essential ones such as funeral halls are banned from gathering.

A ‘one-strike-out system’ is implemented, where facilities allowed to operate will be banned from gathering if they violate quarantine rules even once.

However, quarantine measures by level may be flexibly adjusted depending on the characteristics of the outbreak, cluster infection patterns, and facility-specific quarantine management situations.

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