Seoul City Raises Social Distancing to Level 1.5 ... Also Implements 'Special Quarantine Period' for College Entrance Exam

From 0:00 on the 19th, Strengthened Quarantine Measures Including Suspension of Dancing in Entertainment Venues and Nighttime Operations of Door-to-Door Sales Companies

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] In line with the elevation of social distancing in the metropolitan area to Level 1.5, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will implement strengthened quarantine measures from 0:00 on the 19th of this month until 24:00 on the 2nd of next month. The period until December 3rd has been designated as a special quarantine period in preparation for the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), during which intensive quarantine inspections will be conducted on academies and study cafes. Additionally, a focused inspection period and a special quarantine period will be operated in preparation for the year-end and New Year holidays.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the 18th, under the Level 1.5 social distancing measures, dancing and moving between tables are prohibited in entertainment facilities, and direct sales promotion centers such as door-to-door sales will cease operations after 9 p.m. Karaoke rooms will limit the number of users to one person per 4㎡ of facility area, must post notices at entrances about the allowed number of users, and food consumption is prohibited. Restaurants and cafes must comply with quarantine rules not only in facilities larger than 150㎡ but also in those larger than 50㎡.

◆ Strengthening Quarantine Rules for Multi-use Facilities with Level 1.5 Elevation= Quarantine rules will be additionally applied to general management facilities such as PC rooms, wedding halls, funeral halls, academies, performance halls, movie theaters, amusement parks and water parks, bathhouses, indoor sports facilities, beauty salons, stores, marts, department stores, reading rooms, and study cafes, including limiting the number of users to one person per 4㎡ or mandatory seat spacing between different groups.

Public facilities operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, such as cultural, sports, and youth facilities, will operate according to quarantine plans tailored to their characteristics, including limiting the number of users to 50%. Childcare centers, which have already partially implemented Level 1.5 operational guidelines such as refraining from special and outdoor activities even under Level 1, will be further recommended to close according to government quarantine guidelines.

Quarantine measures in daily life and social-economic activities will also be strengthened, with mask-wearing becoming mandatory in food establishments such as restaurants, cafes, and bakeries sized between 50 and 150㎡, and outdoor sports stadiums being added as mandatory mask-wearing locations. Failure to wear masks in mandatory areas may result in fines or other penalties.

In addition to assemblies and demonstrations limited to fewer than 100 people, large-scale concerts, academic events, and festivals will also be limited to fewer than 100 participants. Even when held within the limited number, quarantine rules such as mask-wearing and social distancing must be observed. However, exhibitions, fairs, and international conferences are excluded from the 100-person limit but must restrict the number of participants to one person per 4㎡ of facility area.

Religious events such as regular worship services, masses, Buddhist ceremonies, and memorial services will be limited to 30% of seating capacity, and gatherings, meals, and overnight stays organized by religious facilities are prohibited.

As the social distancing level 2.5 was implemented to prevent the resurgence of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), a notice of temporary closure is posted at an academy in Noryangjin, Dongjak-gu, Seoul on the 31st. Regardless of the number of people, only non-face-to-face classes are allowed in academies in the metropolitan area, and a gathering ban order has been issued, effectively prohibiting the operation of reading rooms and study cafes. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

◆ Securing Beds for Severe Patients in Preparation for Increase in Confirmed Cases= The Seoul Metropolitan Government will also operate a special quarantine period from the 19th until December 3rd, the day of the CSAT. Intensive quarantine inspections will be conducted on academies, study cafes, arcades, karaoke rooms, and other facilities. From December 3rd to January 3rd of next year, a one-month focused inspection period will be held in preparation for the year-end and New Year holidays, and from December 23rd to January 3rd, a special quarantine period will be designated for inspections and quarantine measures.

Facilities that do not comply with core quarantine rules will be subject to a 'one-strike-out system,' and joint public-private and relevant department (district) mobile inspection teams will be organized to closely monitor compliance.

In response to the recent increase in confirmed cases, the city plans to operate two additional living treatment centers in addition to the two currently in operation to secure beds for mild patients, and will continue to strengthen infectious disease response capabilities by promoting the designation of new infectious disease-dedicated hospitals in preparation for an increase in severe patients.

Seo Jeong-hyeop, Acting Mayor of Seoul, said, "Although it has only been about a month since social distancing was eased to Level 1 on October 12th, the level has been raised again. If we fail to suppress the spread of COVID-19 now, a serious crisis could be triggered. We ask citizens to thoroughly understand and strictly comply with individual rules in facilities and daily life."

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