'Assault Report' Leads to Raid Uncovering Illegal Nightclub Operation... 57 People Massively Caught

Suwon Tourist Night Forced Opening
Only Signs of Drinking Found Instead of Assault
Caught Hiding in Underground Machine Room

The photo is not directly related to the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] "There is a fight here. An ambulance might be needed!"

At around 1:46 a.m. on the 26th, a report was received at the 112 Comprehensive Security Situation Room of the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency. It was about an assault incident that occurred in the basement level 1 of a building in Suwon. The caller said, "More than four people are fighting, and an ambulance might be needed," adding, "It seems there are no weapons," before hanging up.

The location of the report was the basement level 1 of a tourist nightclub building in Ingye-dong, Paldal-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. Due to the impact of COVID-19, social distancing level 2 was in effect in the Gyeonggi area, and this type of entertainment facility was subject to business restrictions. The police, who formed a dedicated team and dispatched to the scene, blocked off four escape routes connected to the nightclub and forcibly opened the entrance door.

Inside, only five people remained: the owner and four employees, and there was no sign of any assault incident. There were traces of alcohol consumption on numerous rooms and tables, so the police conducted a search extending to the adjacent building connected to the nightclub but could not find a single customer. The nightclub owner also stated, "We were operating, but all the customers had already left."

However, it was suspicious that many vehicles were still parked outside the building. After re-searching the building, the police found that the door leading to the mechanical room on basement level 3 was locked. They requested additional support from the withdrawn 119 ambulance team and forcibly opened the door. Inside the mechanical room, an astonishing scene unfolded: 52 customers who had been drinking at the nightclub were hiding there.

As a result, the Gyeonggi Suwon Southern Police Station booked the owner A (49 years old), employees, and customers totaling 57 people on charges of violating the assembly ban order (violation of the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act).

According to the government's social distancing adjustment plan, level 2 social distancing will be enforced in the metropolitan area until the 13th of next month. The assembly ban order issued on the 9th of last month for six types of entertainment facilities?entertainment bars, karaoke bars, emotional bars, colatecs, hunting pubs, and holdem pubs?will also remain in effect during this period.

The National Police Agency also conducted intensive crackdowns on entertainment facilities related to COVID-19 from the 5th of last month to the 23rd of this month, resulting in a total of 4,749 people (834 cases) being caught. Among them, violations of the Infectious Disease Prevention Act accounted for 4,170 people (494 cases), violations of the Food Sanitation Act were 216 people (46 cases), violations of the Music Industry Act were 348 people (293 cases), and violations of the Act on the Punishment of Prostitution were 15 people (1 case), in that order.

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