'Quarantine Crisis' in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, Social Distancing Level 1.5 from the 19th

Elevated to Level 1... Just 10 Days After Subdividing into 5 Levels
Over 100 Daily Confirmed Cases on Average in the Seoul Metropolitan Area

On the 17th, when the government raised the social distancing level in the metropolitan area to Level 1.5, a citizen visiting a screening clinic in Songpa-gu, Seoul, is undergoing a COVID-19 test. Photo by Jin-Hyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporters Kwangho Lee, Daeyeol Choi, Sunhee Son] From the 19th, social distancing in the Seoul metropolitan area will be raised to Level 1.5. Although some basic local governments with increasing new confirmed cases of COVID-19 have raised their levels to 1.5, this is the first time that levels have been raised by region. This reflects the sense of crisis that the situation in the metropolitan area is serious.

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting on the 17th, "In the past week, the Seoul metropolitan area alone has seen an average of more than 100 confirmed cases per day, and other indicators such as the proportion of elderly confirmed cases and the infection reproduction number continue to worsen," explaining the decision. It has been about a month since the level was eased to Level 1 on the 12th of last month, and 10 days since the existing Level 3 was subdivided into 5 levels on the 7th. Prime Minister Chung said, "If the level is raised, citizens will experience great inconvenience in their daily lives and the burden on small business owners will increase again, but we have learned from multiple experiences that if we do not make a decision now, a much greater crisis will come," adding, "Since the balance between quarantine and daily life, which has been maintained with difficulty, is again in crisis, it is time for everyone to raise their vigilance."

President Moon Jae-in also said in his opening remarks at the Cabinet meeting that day, "This measure was taken reflecting experts' opinions as the trend of increasing new confirmed cases continues and silent transmission in daily life spreads," and added, "Although it may be somewhat inconvenient, please understand that this is an inevitable measure to prevent greater spread and damage, and actively cooperate."

President Moon Jae-in is speaking at the Cabinet meeting held at the Blue House on the morning of the 17th.

President Moon said, "We will make every effort to safely conduct the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), which is 16 days away, by designating a special quarantine period and strengthening quarantine measures," and urged, "Please join together with one heart so that the social distancing level can be eased soon without further raising it."

Earlier, the government raised social distancing to levels 2 to 2.5 in mid-August as COVID-19 cases surged through churches and urban rallies in the metropolitan area. After the situation calmed down, the level was lowered to Level 1 in line with the end of the special quarantine period during the Chuseok holiday. The newly reorganized five-level social distancing system applied Level 1 at the beginning of this month. Gangwon Province, which also had many new confirmed cases along with the metropolitan area, did not raise its social distancing level this time but allowed local governments to decide based on future situations. According to the quarantine authorities, the metropolitan area had an average of 111.4 confirmed cases per day in the past week, and Gangwon Province had 13.8.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, as of 0:00 a.m. that day, 230 new confirmed cases were reported domestically. Among them, 202 cases are presumed to be domestic infections, and 28 are imported cases. While many cases continue to emerge mainly in the metropolitan area, double-digit cases are also appearing in places where cluster outbreaks occurred, such as Gwangju (18), Jeonnam (16), and Gangwon (13), showing a pattern of spreading nationwide.

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