"Implementing 'Precision Quarantine'... But Gaps Remain in Churches and Others"

Supplementary Measures for Level 2 Social Distancing in the Seoul Metropolitan Area
Facility Selection Based on Cluster Infection Cases
No Additional Quarantine for Some Vulnerable Facilities Such as Group Exercise (GX) and Kids Cafes

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] The government has introduced additional measures targeting facilities where COVID-19 cluster infections have occurred, but gaps remain. The health authorities raised the social distancing level and promoted so-called "precision quarantine," targeting high-risk facilities and activities rather than imposing burdens on the majority of the public. However, experts point out that the effectiveness of social distancing has declined compared to the past, and with the arrival of the year-end winter season creating favorable conditions for virus spread, the situation remains challenging. Although facilities where recent cluster outbreaks occurred were shut down, there are concerns about unclear standards as no additional measures were taken for churches, academies, and private exercise facilities, which also reported many cases.

Saunas and Group Exercise (GX) Banned, Bathhouses and Personal Training Allowed
Effectiveness of Year-End Gathering Ban Also Questioned

Starting from the 1st of next month, additional quarantine measures in the Seoul metropolitan area will prohibit the operation of sweating rooms such as saunas and hanjeungmak (Korean steam rooms) within bathhouses. Bathhouses can operate if they comply with social distancing in shared spaces like changing rooms, limit the number of users (one person per 8㎡), and prohibit food consumption. Authorities have explained that infections in bathhouses likely spread due to crowding and close contact in shared spaces rather than in the baths or saunas themselves, but they have decided to suspend operations in enclosed spaces like saunas due to the high risk of infection through breathing and conversation.

Group exercise (GX) facilities where multiple people gather are also banned from operating. However, indoor sports facilities primarily offering GX programs such as Zumba, Tae Bo, spinning, and aerobics may continue to operate if they do not conduct these programs. According to authorities, there are 175,847 indoor sports facilities in the metropolitan area, but the exact number of GX facilities among them has not yet been identified. Local governments will investigate this in the future. Additionally, facilities such as wind instrument and singing academies or tutoring centers, cultural centers, and complex convenience facilities including apartment gyms and cafes must close for one week. Renting accommodation facilities like hotels and guesthouses for parties or events is also prohibited.

On the morning of the 30th, medical staff are collecting specimens at the COVID-19 Safe Clinic of the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul.

These measures were prepared based on cluster outbreak cases that have occurred in the metropolitan area and nationwide since last month. The additional measures were introduced because it was judged difficult to comply with quarantine rules such as mask-wearing and social distancing. However, this contrasts with the lack of additional measures for facilities like churches and kids' cafes, where clusters involving dozens or hundreds of people have occurred. Places like the janggu (traditional Korean drum) lesson room in Busan, which has had over 100 cumulative cases, are also not subject to additional rules.

Situation and Conditions Worse Than During the Second Wave in the Metropolitan Area in August
"Lack of Principles in Social Distancing Adjustments Increases Public Fatigue"

There are criticisms that the effectiveness of social distancing measures has declined because public vigilance has decreased and the outbreak patterns, seasons, and environments differ from those in August and September. The risk of cluster infections is higher than ever due to the winter season providing favorable conditions for virus survival and the tendency to gather indoors with poor ventilation.

Difficulty in reducing contact due to the upcoming College Scholastic Ability Test in three days and year-end parties is also cited as a risk factor. The government explains that raising the social distancing level is a comprehensive measure considering the damage and fatigue to self-employed people and the lower-income economy, but there are criticisms that arbitrary decisions made whenever the outbreak spreads only cause confusion.

Professor Kim Woo-joo, an infectious disease specialist at Korea University Guro Hospital, said on the 30th, "While the number of patients will decrease in facilities subject to additional quarantine measures, a clear reduction is unlikely. It seems the government decided on this level of measures expecting the metropolitan area’s level 2 measures to take effect within this week, but the public’s fatigue is greater because the government itself does not adhere to the social distancing levels it set."

The Hongdae area in Mapo-gu, Seoul, is quieter than usual on the 29th, the first weekend after the social distancing level in the metropolitan area was raised to Level 2. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

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