"After Academy, When Do You Go to the Study Room?"... Study Room Operators' Group Takes Action at the National Assembly

A notice regarding the assembly ban order is posted at a study room in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Choyoung] On the 4th, an association of study room operators urged the government to ease the restriction on business hours after 9 PM under social distancing level 2.5.

The Korea Academy Federation National Study Education Council held a press conference in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the same day, issuing a statement demanding that study room operating hours be extended to 2 AM from the current time.

The council stated, "Setting the study room operating hours to 9 PM essentially means we have no choice but to close or suspend operations," and added, "We demand that the hours be extended to 2 AM."

They further requested, "If extending business hours until 2 AM is difficult, as a second-best option, the hours should be extended to midnight so that at least rent costs can be covered."

Previously, the association had called for easing regulations, arguing that study room operating hours should be extended at least until midnight, considering that students study in study rooms after finishing their academies before going home.

Study rooms can extend their operating hours with approval from the local education superintendent. Typically, approval is granted until 2 AM the next day. Limiting hours to 9 PM causes study rooms to suffer a loss of 5 hours, raising issues of fairness compared to academies.

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