Repeated Group Infections at Singing Practice Rooms... Seoul City Issues 'Diagnostic Test' Administrative Order Until the 13th

Multiple Violations Including Business Hour Restrictions... Anonymous Testing Allowed, Fines Up to 2 Million KRW for Non-Compliance

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Amid a series of COVID-19 cluster infections at singing practice rooms in Seoul, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will enforce an administrative order for diagnostic testing at singing practice rooms until the 13th.

According to Seoul city on the 1st, the city is implementing an administrative order requiring all workers, including managers and business owners of singing practice rooms, to undergo COVID-19 diagnostic testing by the 13th. Song Eun-cheol, a quarantine officer at the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, explained, "This is an emergency measure to prevent cluster infections at singing practice rooms used by many people and to block community transmission," adding, "Please actively get tested at nearby public health center screening clinics or temporary screening sites."

Diagnostic testing can be done anonymously, but failure to comply with the order may result in a fine of up to 2 million won under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act. In particular, if confirmed cases occur at businesses that do not comply with the order, Seoul city plans to respond strongly by exercising its right to claim damages and charging quarantine costs.

Since the reopening of singing practice rooms in Seoul on January 18, there have been 116 cases of quarantine rule violations to date. The number of fines imposed was 46, and there were 2 cases of business suspension. There were also 68 cases where karaoke users were fined.

The most common violation was failure to comply with nighttime operating hours, accounting for 27 cases, and there were several cases of eating and drinking inside the business premises and failure to prepare entry logs. Seoul city explained that recent increases in infection spread were linked to businesses illegally employing helpers, and as a result of joint crackdowns with the police, violations of quarantine rules such as employing helpers, non-compliance with operating hours, and alcohol sales were confirmed.

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