"Watching and Serving Only Reserved Guests"... 2,700 People Caught at Illegal Entertainment Venues in Quarantine 'Blind Spots'

Seoul, Incheon, and Other Areas See Surge in Illegal Businesses
Police Extend Intensive Crackdown Indefinitely

A total of 83 people, including the owner and customers, were caught at a nightlife establishment in Gangnam, Seoul, for violating the assembly ban order. The photo shows the crackdown at the nightlife establishment.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The police have launched a large-scale crackdown on illegal entertainment establishments that have become blind spots in COVID-19 prevention measures, resulting in the apprehension of more than 2,700 violators in just three weeks.

According to the National Police Agency on the 26th, from the 5th to the 25th of this month, the police deployed 9,575 officers and conducted joint inspections with local governments on 31,540 entertainment venues nationwide. During this process, 513 cases of illegal activities, including violations of quarantine guidelines, and 2,785 individuals were caught.

By type, there were 294 cases and 2,395 individuals violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, such as breaching the assembly ban order; 33 cases and 145 individuals violating the Food Sanitation Act; and 185 cases and 230 individuals violating the Music Industry Act. Additionally, 1 case involving 15 people was caught for violating the Act on the Punishment of Acts of Prostitution.

In Seoul, at around 1:30 a.m. on the 22nd, an entertainment bar in Gangnam-gu was secretly operating by watching the entrance and serving only reserved customers, resulting in the crackdown of 83 people including the owner and customers. On the same day at 10:50 p.m., an entertainment bar in Michuhol-gu, Incheon, was also caught operating by turning off the signboard lights and locking the door while serving reserved customers, with 40 people including the owner apprehended.

The police plan to continue the focused crackdown on illegal operations of entertainment establishments for the time being, considering the ongoing spread of COVID-19. The main targets for the crackdown are ▲ unauthorized illegal operations ▲ violations of assembly ban orders ▲ violations of quarantine guidelines such as operating beyond restricted hours and failure to prepare electronic entry logs ▲ acts such as selling alcohol and employing hostesses at singing practice rooms.

The police stated, "Considering the increasing vulnerability of entertainment establishments and requests for active crackdowns, we have decided to extend the focused enforcement," adding, "In the metropolitan area and the Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam regions, we will mobilize all available resources to conduct focused crackdowns and visible patrols."

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