Jinju City Bans 'Dal Bath', Prohibits Using the Same Bathhouse More Than Twice a Day

Mandatory Installation of CCTV at Bathhouse Entrances, Deployment of Quarantine Assistants
Prohibition of Use Over 1 Hour, No Talking, Mandatory Wearing of Waterproof Masks

Joo Kyu-il, Mayor of Jinju, is conducting an executive meeting.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Jinju City, Gyeongnam Province, recently announced quarantine guidelines for bathhouse businesses, including banning ‘dal bathing’?a major cause of local COVID-19 infections originating from bathhouses?and switching to a coupon system, following a series of new coronavirus (COVID-19) local infections linked to bathhouse footbaths.

The city has established quarantine rules for bathhouse businesses, such as limiting the number of users per area, mandatory electronic entry logs for bathhouse visitors, wearing waterproof masks inside bathhouses, prohibiting conversations and food consumption, and restricting the time spent inside bathhouses to within one hour. These measures will be implemented from the reopening of bathhouses that were previously banned from gathering.

Additionally, to fully prevent and block the spread of COVID-19 in bathhouse businesses, the city plans to issue administrative orders banning ‘dal bathing,’ prohibiting the use of the same bathhouse more than twice a day, and mandating the installation of CCTV at bathhouse entrances.

Once the city’s administrative order is issued, all bathhouses in the jurisdiction will abolish ‘dal bathing.’ Existing members with remaining season tickets must switch to a ‘coupon system,’ and the sale of new season tickets will be prohibited. Furthermore, all users will be prohibited from using the same bathhouse more than twice a day.

Among the 98 bathhouse businesses, 25 locations without CCTV must install it mandatorily. Failure to comply and continuing operations will result in a first fine, followed by a second penalty of gathering prohibition, leading to closure.

Regular members who engage in ‘dal bathing’ have used bathhouses as a communication channel among neighbors to foster friendship. However, some users have ordered drinks or food at bathhouses and spent 2 to 3 hours socializing, which became a cause of COVID-19 spread.

In fact, in Jinju City, confirmed cases linked to bathhouses continue to occur, including at W in the Innovation City, D in Sujeong-dong, and P and B in Sangdae-dong. This has even led to neighbors around these bathhouses feeling anxious and hostile toward each other.

Currently, there are 98 bathhouses in the city, with over 20%?22 locations?reporting 141 confirmed cases, and 69 citizens who had contact with confirmed patients also testing positive.

A city official stated, “No matter how actively the administration acts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, without the active participation of business owners and citizens, no quarantine measure can be expected to be effective,” emphasizing the urgent need for voluntary cooperation and participation from citizens and bathhouse businesses.

Meanwhile, starting from the 22nd, the city will conduct comprehensive testing for bathhouse workers, including attendants, barbers, and concession operators, and will hold regular biweekly tests until local infections end.

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