Indiscriminate Assault Over 'No Mask' Criticism... Vanishing Civic Consciousness

At a coffee shop, customers are talking or working without wearing masks.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Choyoung] Assault incidents related to mask-wearing are occurring one after another. As the number of new COVID-19 cases rises again to the 700s, increasing the risk of a large-scale outbreak, there are calls to improve the lax compliance with quarantine rules.

Earlier, on the 12th of last month, the government announced the 'Mandatory Mask-Wearing Measure,' requiring masks to be worn at all times indoors. This measure is stronger than previous ones, mandating that masks must always be worn indoors regardless of the social distancing level.

According to media reports on the 13th, a 20-year-old man, Mr. A, was issued an arrest warrant on the 7th on charges of assault and obstruction of official duties. Mr. A is accused of repeatedly hitting the face of a taxi driver in his 60s on a road near Nangok Tunnel in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, around 10 p.m. on the 5th. It is reported that Mr. A became enraged and assaulted the taxi driver after the driver refused to take him because he was not wearing a mask.

Currently, a petition on the Blue House website demanding strict punishment for the man has received over 200,000 signatures. The petitioner wrote, "Under current law, the perpetrator might only receive a fine," and appealed, "We ask for strong punishment so that the public recognizes that such unjust violence is never a trivial matter, and so that the perpetrator receives a heavy penalty and reflects on their actions."

Petition Urging Severe Punishment for Perpetrator of 'Indiscriminate Assault on Taxi Driver'. Photo by Cheongwadae National Petition Board Capture

Meanwhile, at a large supermarket in Gwangju, a woman in her 50s was booked by the police for throwing ice cream at an employee who asked her to wear a mask. The Gwangju Western Police Station announced that they plan to investigate Ms. B, a woman in her 50s, on charges of assault and violation of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act.

According to the police, Ms. B entered the supermarket around 9 a.m. on the 9th with her upper garment pulled up to cover her nose and mouth. When employees tried to stop her by saying, "We will bring you a mask," she ignored them, continued shopping, and went to the checkout counter to pay.

When the cashier said, "We cannot process your payment because you are not wearing a mask," and repeatedly asked her to wear one, Ms. B suddenly cursed at the employee, threw ice cream, and then left the store.

Since the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act was revised in October last year to mandate mask-wearing in multi-use facilities, cases of refusing to wear masks or even assaulting employees who request mask-wearing have not ceased. As COVID-19 continues to spread domestically, voices are calling for improved public awareness and vigilance regarding mask-wearing.

Mr. C, a worker in his 20s, said, "In places like cafes, many people still wear masks below their chin or take them off entirely and place them on the table while working. I understand the fatigue from prolonged quarantine measures, but since this is a time when we must be careful with each other, I think mask-wearing should become a daily habit."

Another office worker, Mr. D (35), said, "Last week at a movie theater, an employee asked a customer several times to wear a mask, but even after the movie started, the customer did not wear one, which was embarrassing. I believe it is important for citizens themselves to be aware of and comply with quarantine rules."

On the morning of the 11th of last month, one day before the mandatory mask-wearing measure took effect, a mask-wearing guidance banner was installed at a coffee shop in a department store in downtown Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Some argue that the weak penalties are to blame. Under current law, individuals not wearing masks in multi-use facilities face fines of up to 100,000 KRW, and businesses face fines of up to 3 million KRW. However, since reports are rarely made and enforcement mostly consists of recommendations to wear masks, cases of actual punishment are rare.

Mr. E (38), a caf? owner, pointed out, "For some customers, even if we ask them to wear masks, it only lasts for a moment. While it is possible to report customers who refuse to wear masks, these customers do not outright refuse, so it is difficult to report them."

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