Police Also Busy... Full Effort on 'COVID-19 Response'

Police officers are conducting guidance and enforcement activities to prohibit drinking after 10 p.m. on the afternoon of the 9th at Yeouido Hangang Park in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] As the metropolitan area has been placed under social distancing level 4, the police have also launched an all-out response.

According to the police on the 13th, as of midnight the previous day, the metropolitan city and provincial police agencies (Seoul, Gyeonggi Nambu, Gyeonggi Bukbu, Incheon Police Agency) were placed under ‘Eulho Emergency’. Eulho Emergency is the police emergency operation level following ‘Gapho Emergency’, allowing the mobilization of 50% of available personnel, with commanders and staff maintaining an emergency communication system and being located within a place where they can respond within one hour.

The police are currently discussing with health authorities the expansion of epidemiological investigation personnel being supported. They are also maintaining the rapid response team of 8,559 members that was organized during the first major outbreak in March last year. The police plan to support location tracking and whereabouts identification through the rapid response team upon request from health authorities. A police agency official said, "Along with general administrative support, we are already assisting with closed-circuit television (CCTV) verification for movement investigations," adding, "We will continue to cooperate with health authorities and provide necessary support."

The police will also inspect violations of quarantine rules together with local governments. During the week from the 3rd to the 11th of this month, the police inspected 8,107 entertainment facilities nationwide and caught 938 offenders violating quarantine rules, and will continue related crackdowns until the 15th. They plan to frequently patrol specific areas such as Hangang Park to check for outdoor drinking and violations of capacity restrictions. Regarding the police hospital operating dedicated infectious disease beds, an additional dispatch of 33 medical personnel including doctors and nurses has been requested to health authorities. Since December 30 last year, the police hospital has been operating 74 beds, with the bed occupancy rate surging from 24% in January and February this year to the 60% range this month.

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