What Changes in Level 2.5... "Suspension of Hagwon, Karaoke, and Indoor Sports Facilities"

Direct Sales Promotion Centers and Indoor Standing Concert Venues Prohibited from Gathering
Wedding Halls and Funeral Halls Limited to Fewer Than 50 People

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun is attending the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on COVID-19 response held at Seoul City Hall on the 6th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] Due to the third wave of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the government has raised the social distancing level in the Seoul metropolitan area to level 2.5 for three weeks until the end of the year, requiring multi-use facilities to cease operations after 9 p.m.

Although the '2+α' level ended at midnight on the 7th, the number of confirmed cases in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, especially Seoul, has been recording the highest daily counts, showing minimal effect of social distancing, leading to the decision to further raise the level to 2.5.

Level 2.5 is implemented when new confirmed cases nationwide exceed 400-500 or when there is a rapid increase such as doubling. It is a phase of nationwide spread, and people are advised to stay home as much as possible and refrain from going out, gatherings, and using multi-use facilities.

Nationwide, gatherings, meetings, and events of more than 50 people are prohibited, and the list of prohibited facilities is expanded.

Gatherings, Meetings, and Events of Over 50 People Prohibited
Multi-use Facilities Must Cease Operations After 9 p.m.

Under the current level 2 distancing, among the nine types of key management facilities, five types of entertainment venues including pubs, danran pubs, emotional pubs, colatecs, and hunting pochas are banned from operating. However, at level 2.5, additional facilities such as academies (including private tutoring centers), indoor sports facilities, direct sales promotion centers including door-to-door sales, karaoke rooms, and indoor standing concert halls are also prohibited from gathering.

Cafes are only allowed to offer takeout and delivery regardless of business hours. Restaurants, as in level 2, are only allowed to provide takeout and delivery after 9 p.m.

Wedding halls and funeral halls are limited to fewer than 50 people. Bathhouses are limited to one person per 16㎡ of facility area, and food consumption is prohibited. Saunas, steam rooms, and jjimjilbang (Korean sauna) facilities are also banned from operating.

Cinemas must cease operations after 9 p.m., and performance venues must maintain two-seat spacing between seats.

Additionally, arcades, PC rooms, amusement parks, water parks, beauty salons, marts, and department stores (over 300㎡) can only operate until 9 p.m.

More Than One-Third of Companies Recommended to Work from Home
Sports Games to Be Held Without Spectators
School Attendance Density Maintained at One-Third Level

Workplace quarantine measures are also strengthened. For high-risk workplaces such as call centers and distribution logistics centers where telecommuting is difficult and workers work in confined, crowded spaces, the government designates them as 'high-risk workplaces' and mandates the application of enhanced quarantine rules.

Institutions and companies are recommended to have more than one-third of their workforce work from home.

Sports games will be held without spectators at level 2.5.

When using transportation facilities, it is recommended that only up to 50% of seats be booked on transportation means such as KTX and express buses (excluding airplanes), and school attendance should maintain indoor density at about one-third.

Religious activities at level 2.5 should be conducted online in principle, with only up to 20 people allowed to participate in person.

For national and public facilities, operation of tennis courts, baseball fields, and soccer fields will be suspended at level 2.5. However, outdoor facilities such as national parks and recreational forests can still be used up to level 2.5.

Social welfare facilities will continue to operate up to level 2.5 to minimize care gaps for vulnerable groups.

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