"99% of Users Are Adults..." Gym Owners Protest Conditional Approval

Starting Tomorrow (8th), Indoor Sports Facilities Allowed to Operate for Groups of 9 or Fewer Children and Students

On the 4th, Oh Seong-yeong, president of the National Health Club Managers Association and operator of a gym in Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, opened the gym and revealed the interior in protest against the quarantine authorities' ban on gatherings at indoor sports facilities.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] On the 7th, Oh Seongyoung, president of the National Health Club Owners Association, strongly opposed the government's decision to allow indoor sports facilities to operate under the condition that only 9 children and adolescents can use them.

On the same day, Oh posted on his Facebook, saying, "Did you stay up all night racking your brains and researching just to say 'Only 9 or fewer children and students can use it'?"

He added, "Do you think the owners, who are dying of thirst in this bitter cold, are crying and complaining for this reason?" and said, "Self-employed people who are starving to death, let's all meet at the National Assembly on the 10th."

Posts opposing the government's announcement continued on online communities related to gyms. They expressed strong reactions such as, "How much exercise do students or children do at gyms to make such an announcement? It's a 'show-off' policy," "This seems like teasing gyms," "Beyond a joke, it's mockery," and "Who would come to gyms in this situation, children or students?"

Earlier, the government extended the social distancing measures (Level 2.5 in the metropolitan area, Level 2 in non-metropolitan areas), which were scheduled to end on the 3rd, for two more weeks, easing business restrictions on winter sports industries such as ski resorts and some facilities, sparking controversy over fairness.

In particular, in the metropolitan area where Level 2.5 is applied, small sports facilities registered as academies, such as Taekwondo and ballet, were conditionally allowed to operate, while indoor sports facilities like gyms were banned from operating, leading some gym owners to strongly oppose by staging 'open protests.'

In response, on the 7th, the government decided to allow all indoor sports facilities, which had been subject to business suspension orders, to operate from the 8th under the condition that the number of users at the same time is limited to 9. However, the users are restricted to children and adolescents, and the purpose of operation is limited to instruction only.

Son Youngrae, head of the Strategic Planning Division at the Central Accident Response Headquarters of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said, "This is for childcare functions and must be implemented as instruction limited to children and students," adding, "It does not allow instruction targeting adults."

He continued, "We understand and feel sorry and grateful for the difficulties in making a living due to the gathering ban in industries such as indoor sports facilities, academies, and karaoke rooms," and said, "We plan to prepare measures to allow operation while complying with quarantine rules."

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