PC Bang with Only One Customer Fined 2 Million Won for Violating Gathering Ban Order

Gwangju City issued an administrative order banning gatherings at PC rooms, karaoke rooms, and entertainment bars from August 23 to September 6. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

[Asia Economy Reporter Hanah Na] A PC cafe owner who violated the government’s administrative order banning gatherings to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) and received customers was sentenced to a fine.

On the 22nd, the Gwangju District Court announced that it sentenced A (62) to a fine of 2 million won for violating the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act.

The court stated, "A’s actions violated the administrative order and increased the risk of infectious disease transmission, which is highly blameworthy," but also noted, "However, considering that only one customer entered and the sentencing cases of similar offenses."

A was prosecuted for violating the gathering ban order by receiving one customer at a PC cafe he operated in Seo-gu, Gwangju, at around 6:35 p.m. on August 27 and allowing the customer to play games.

Earlier, from August 23 to September 6, Gwangju City issued an administrative order banning gatherings at PC cafes, karaoke rooms, entertainment bars, and other places, and applied social distancing level 2 as COVID-19 confirmed cases increased in the region.

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