[On-site Video] "We're Starving to Death! We Are Not Criminals" Self-Employed Workers' Midnight Press Conference 'Anguish'

COVID-19 Era... "Only Self-Employed Businesses Closed" Outrage
Demand for Compensation Due to Quarantine Measures Losses

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon, PDs Han Seung-mok and Lee Kyung-do] "Please save us!", "We are starving to death!", "Loans are not available!"

To protest against the Level 4 social distancing measures in the Seoul metropolitan area, self-employed business owners took to the streets raising their voices. They demanded the revision of quarantine policies that threaten the survival of small business owners and urged the government to actively compensate for the losses incurred during this process.

The National Emergency Response Committee for Self-Employed Business Owners (Emergency Committee) held a press conference at around 11:30 p.m. on the 14th in front of Yeouido Park in Seoul, stating, "What we want is to stop the COVID-19 quarantine measures targeting only self-employed business owners. We are begging to be saved."

Kim Ki-hong, co-representative of the Emergency Committee, climbed onto a truck stage that day and said, "Because of trying to control COVID-19, self-employed business owners continue to pile up debt and close their businesses," emphasizing, "I believe it is time to implement new social distancing quarantine measures."

At the rally, self-employed business owners unanimously criticized the government's quarantine measures. Kim (45), a self-employed person from Incheon, pointed out, "Self-employed business owners are required to check QR codes at entrances, but even though many confirmed cases have come from department stores, they have not implemented QR code checks at all." He added, "Loans are not available either, how are we supposed to live going forward?" expressing his frustration.

Park, a self-employed person in his 40s from Gyeonggi Province, raised his voice, saying, "I don't even understand why the boundary line between the metropolitan area and provinces is drawn," and "Confirmed cases freely move down to the provinces without any restrictions, but only small business owners are subjected to restrictions."

Another small business owner in his 40s, Choi, emphasized, "Self-employed business owners are not criminals," and said, "I think we are being treated like less than human. Since we cannot express this properly, we are taking action." He continued, "If you don’t work for just one or two years, you are on the verge of starving to death, and on top of that, you have to pay monthly rent and taxes."

Meanwhile, the police emphasized right after the press conference ended, "Attempting a vehicle parade in the downtown area while seated in vehicles violates the Assembly and Demonstration Act under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act," and stated, "We will restrain any formation of groups and attempts to parade with vehicles."

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