Gwangju Local Private Gatherings Allowed Up to '8 People'

Single-Digit Daily COVID-19 Cases Maintained for 17 Days and Reproduction Number Below 1

First Implementation Among Special and Metropolitan Cities...Strict Measures for Violations of the 'Autonomous Responsibility Quarantine System'

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Gwangju Metropolitan City will allow private gatherings of up to 8 people.

Gwangju City announced on the 17th that while maintaining the social distancing level 1.5 quarantine rules, it will pilot expand the allowed number of people per gathering at facilities from 4 to 8 starting from 5 a.m. on the 18th.

Accordingly, at multi-use facilities such as restaurants, cafes, six types of entertainment establishments (entertainment, danran bars, emotional pubs, colatechs including dance halls, hunting pochas, holdem pubs), karaoke rooms, party rooms, indoor standing concert halls, indoor and outdoor sports facilities (including sports club activities), bathhouses, and reading rooms/study cafes, reservations and accompanied entry will be allowed for up to 8 people only.

Gwangju City explained that the local situation has greatly improved, and due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, many restrictions on citizens' daily lives have followed, increasing the suffering of small business owners and self-employed entrepreneurs, so this decision was made to alleviate that.

Since the 31st of last month, the daily confirmed cases have remained in single digits for 17 consecutive days, with a cumulative total of 74 confirmed cases during this period, averaging 4.35 cases per day.

Excluding 7 imported cases and 23 self-quarantined individuals, the daily average drops to 2.58, and the infection reproduction number has remained below 1 this month.

In particular, since the 7th, Gwangju has proactively removed time restrictions on entertainment establishments and strengthened personal responsibility through the 'Gwangju-type Autonomous Responsibility Quarantine System.' Despite concerns, confirmed cases have been decreasing.

The vaccination rate has also surpassed the first-dose target for the first half of the year, reaching 26.8% (388,129 people) of the total citizens.

Considering these factors comprehensively, Gwangju City decided, after discussions with the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, to pilot expand the allowed number of private gathering participants for the first time among special and metropolitan cities.

However, this decision is premised on the strong implementation of the Gwangju-type Autonomous Responsibility Quarantine System. The city plans to strictly punish and take measures against violations of this autonomous responsibility quarantine system.

First, if confirmed cases occur due to violations of quarantine rules by business owners within facilities where private gatherings of up to 8 people are allowed?such as restaurants, cafes, six types of entertainment establishments, karaoke rooms, party rooms, indoor standing concert halls, indoor and outdoor sports facilities (including sports club activities), bathhouses, and reading rooms/study cafes?the facility will be ordered to suspend operations for at least 3 weeks.

Entertainment facility and karaoke room business owners and workers must undergo mandatory diagnostic testing every two weeks, and failure to comply will result in a fine of up to 3 million KRW.

Mayor Lee Yong-seop of Gwangju said, “Our city will strengthen quarantine measures such as on-site inspections of infection-vulnerable facilities and ensure safe and rapid vaccination. We will do our best so that our citizens can take off their masks and return to daily life as soon as possible.”

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