Police Launch Two-Week Special Crackdown on Illegal Operations of Entertainment Venues

Bustling Hongdae night street. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The National Police Agency announced on the 5th that it will conduct a "special crackdown on illegal operations of entertainment facilities" for two weeks until the 17th of this month to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The main targets of the crackdown are ▲reopening of violating businesses ▲unauthorized operations ▲violations of assembly ban orders ▲violations of quarantine rules such as operating hour restrictions and failure to prepare electronic entry logs ▲illegal operations of singing practice rooms, etc.

Earlier, during the two-day crackdown on the 3rd and 4th, 32 cases and 205 people were caught for violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act. In Seoul, at around 12:10 a.m. on the 3rd, 34 people including the owner and customers were caught at a general restaurant in Gangnam-gu that operated an unauthorized entertainment bar by employing 15 entertainment workers. On the same day at 9:10 p.m., 23 people including the owner were caught operating an unauthorized club targeting reserved customers after installing a DJ box and stage at a general restaurant in Mapo-gu.

With the full implementation of the autonomous police system this month, this special crackdown will be conducted by each city and provincial police agency. The four metropolitan police agencies in the Seoul Capital Area (Seoul, Incheon, Southern Gyeonggi, Northern Gyeonggi) and the Busan Police Agency will cooperate with local governments to mobilize available personnel to the fullest extent for special crackdowns and intensive patrols. In particular, in major entertainment districts such as Gangnam and Seocho in Seoul and Seomyeon in Busan, mobile units will be utilized and joint crackdowns will be promoted. Other city and provincial police agencies plan to conduct crackdowns in cooperation with local governments according to regional circumstances.

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