Easing Shutdown Criteria Brings Relief...Concerns Over Confusion Due to Different Quarantine Rules by Industry

Effective from the 7th... Key management facilities such as entertainment bars and restaurants
Karaoke rooms must be disinfected and wait 30 minutes before admitting customers
PC rooms with partitions likely unaffected at level 2
If Shincheonji-level outbreak occurs, level 2.5... Monitoring Halloween aftermath

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Seo So-jeong and Choi Dae-yeol] As the government subdivided the social distancing levels for responding to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) from the existing 3 levels to 5 levels by adding levels 1.5 and 2.5, a 'deep study' of the changed quarantine guidelines at the field level has begun. The revised distancing plan will be applied on-site starting from the 7th, leaving little time to familiarize and prepare for the new quarantine rules.

23 Multi-use Facilities Divided into Priority and General Management Facilities
Business Owners Say "Relief in Shutdown Requirements... Confusion Due to Different Detailed Guidelines"

A notable point in this revision is the restructuring of multi-use facilities, which were previously classified into three risk levels?high, medium, and low?into a two-tier system consisting of 9 types of 'priority management facilities' and 14 types of 'general management facilities.' Priority management facilities include five types of entertainment venues such as pubs and hunting bars, as well as karaoke rooms, indoor standing concert halls, direct sales promotion centers like door-to-door sales, restaurants, and cafes.

For example, starting from the 7th, karaoke rooms must disinfect immediately after a customer leaves and can only admit another customer after 30 minutes. At level 1.5, entry is limited to one person per 4㎡ (1 pyeong equals 3.3㎡), and food consumption is prohibited. At level 2, an additional clause requires operations to stop after 9 p.m., and at levels 2.5 to 3, gatherings are banned (business operations prohibited). Previously, business suspension applied at level 2, but under the new system, full shutdown requirements have been relaxed to level 2.5.

Mr. Kim, who operates a karaoke room in Itaewon, Seoul, said, "It's fortunate that the criteria for raising levels have been relaxed, allowing operation until daily cases exceed 500," but added, "However, restrictions like waiting 30 minutes before admitting new customers are stricter compared to other industries, and the detailed quarantine rules differ, so preparation will be necessary."

For restaurants and cafes, at level 1, measures such as maintaining a 1-meter distance between tables, leaving one seat or table empty, or installing partitions between tables (for areas over 150㎡) must be implemented. At level 1.5, this expands to areas over 50㎡, and from level 2 onward, cafes are only allowed takeout and delivery, while restaurants are only allowed takeout and delivery after 9 p.m. For PC rooms, at level 1.5, seats must be spaced apart from other groups, but if partitions are installed, maintaining seat distance is not required. At level 2, food consumption such as cup noodles is prohibited in PC rooms. At level 2.5, operations must stop after 9 p.m., and at level 3, a gathering ban order is issued, halting operations. Mr. Lee, who runs a PC room in Sinchon, Seoul, expressed relief, saying, "Since glass partitions are already installed between computers, even if level 2 is declared, it won't significantly affect operations."

The government is expected to ease the burden on self-employed business owners, who have suffered revenue losses, by gradually restricting operating hours or the number of users at facilities with a high risk of COVID-19 infection instead of applying uniform measures. However, applying different quarantine rules by industry in this revision inevitably causes confusion on the ground. For example, karaoke rooms and indoor sports facilities are banned from gathering at level 2.5 when nationwide confirmed cases reach 400-500, but PC rooms and academies must reach 800 confirmed cases before suspending operations.

Mr. Park, who runs a temple in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, said, "When the distancing level was previously raised, resulting in a two-week gathering ban, local governments did not notify in advance, causing difficulties such as turning customers away," and added, "Since baduk (Korean chess) involves little physical movement, even if it is a free industry, it would be good if the characteristics of each industry were reflected."

Government: "Will Ensure Public Risk Awareness Does Not Decline"
Confirmed Cases Near 100 on the 2nd... Below 100 Means Level 1

The government plans to focus on preventing a decline in public risk awareness with this revision. If the 5-level distancing system, which will be applied from the 7th, had been applied during the Shincheonji outbreak in February-March, a level 2.5 measure would have been possible. The outbreak peaked from late February to early March. On February 29, there were 909 domestic community infection cases, the highest number during the domestic COVID-19 phase, and the average daily new confirmed cases for a week around that date was about 596. Applying the new criteria, level 2.5 measures would likely be applied in situations where daily new cases exceed 400-500 on average or cases double daily.

During the mid-August holidays and events such as church services and urban rallies, a metropolitan-centered outbreak could allow application of level 1.5 or level 2. For an outbreak of the scale of the Itaewon club incident in mid-late May, the distancing level could remain at level 1 as it is now.

Meanwhile, according to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, as of midnight on the day, the number of new COVID-19 confirmed cases was 97, down 27 from the previous day, approaching 100. Although it dropped below 100 for the first time in six days since the 27th of last month, the decrease in testing on the previous holiday means the situation cannot be considered safe. Also, the effect of Halloween Day on the 31st of last month has not yet fully materialized, so the number of confirmed cases may increase. According to the revised plan, if the metropolitan area’s average daily confirmed cases do not exceed 100 for one week, level 1 of the 5-level system will be applied.

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