Jeju Island Effectively Raises Social Distancing to Level 2... 24 New Cases Confirmed, Highest in a Single Day This Year

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters (Jeju) Reporter Park Chang-won] As daily infections continue in Jeju, 24 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed just yesterday.

Health authorities have prepared social distancing measures equivalent to Level 2, and public officials are completely banned from private gatherings of five or more people after 9 p.m.

Jeju Special Self-Governing Province announced that starting from the 11th, it will begin strict enforcement of quarantine rules equivalent to social distancing Level 2.

On the morning of the same day, Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong said at a joint briefing, “All residents are exhausted and going through difficult times due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation. This is a critical time to prevent entering the fourth major wave,” adding, “This week could be a turning point for quarantine, so we will strictly adhere to higher-level quarantine rules starting with the public sector, following Level 2 social distancing.”

In Jeju, a total of 2,322 COVID-19 diagnostic tests were conducted the previous day, with 24 confirmed cases (Jeju numbers 793 to 816). This is the highest number recorded this year and ranks as the fifth highest historically compared to December last year when the third wave began in earnest.

As confirmed cases increase, COVID-19 testing has also reached record highs. Conducting over 2,000 diagnostic tests in a single day has occurred only three times: 2,031 tests on February 25, 2,013 tests on May 7, and now this recent instance.

Accordingly, Jeju Province has designated the next two weeks until the 23rd as an “Intensive Quarantine Inspection Period” and will organize special inspection teams by departments responsible for social distancing to conduct large-scale checks on quarantine rules. Violations of quarantine rules will be strictly dealt with under a “one strike out” policy, imposing immediate administrative sanctions without warnings.

Additionally, until midnight on the 23rd, nightlife establishments such as entertainment bars, karaoke rooms, holdem pubs, colatecs, hunting pochas, emotional pubs, bathhouses, PC rooms, arcades, and multi-rooms will be restricted from operating after 11 p.m.

Violators will face fines up to 3 million KRW or criminal charges under the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act, and the province will actively exercise claims for damages related to quarantine costs and treatment expenses for confirmed patients.

Due to the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases, starting today, Jeju has completely banned public officials from private gatherings of five or more people after 9 p.m. Exceptions apply for meals such as lunch and dinner during working hours after arriving at work, but even in these cases, officials are encouraged to avoid gatherings of five or more to set an example in the public sector.

Furthermore, various luncheons and dinner meetings will be minimized, and providing drinks or food to meeting attendees or visitors within departments is completely prohibited.

Visits by non-official guests or residents from outside the province to government offices are restricted, fitness centers will be temporarily closed, unnecessary business trips outside the province are banned, and all banquets, face-to-face meetings of ten or more people, and attendance at various ceremonies are prohibited.

Kang Jae-seop, Director of Jeju Province General Affairs Division, said, “We are implementing strengthened social distancing starting with public officials to do our best in COVID-19 prevention within Jeju’s public sector.”

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