Daejeon Lowers Social Distancing to Level 3... Lifts Gathering Ban at All Facilities

Daejeon Mayor Heo Tae-jung is conducting an online emergency briefing on COVID-19 response at City Hall. Photo by Daejeon City

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Daejeon City is lowering social distancing from the current Level 4 to Level 3. With the easing of distancing, the ban on gatherings at all facilities in the area will be lifted. However, operating hour restrictions will remain for some facilities.

The city announced that starting from the 1st, social distancing will be adjusted to Level 3. This comes five weeks after the Level 4 distancing was declared on July 27.

With the adjustment of social distancing, the ban on gatherings at entertainment facilities, singing rooms, and other venues that had been in place for over a month will be lifted. However, the ban on operating from 10 PM to 5 AM the next day for these businesses, restaurants, cafes, and bathhouses will remain as is, and restaurants and cafes will only be allowed takeout and delivery during these hours.

Along with the adjustment of social distancing levels, the city will also lift operating hour restrictions for indoor sports facilities (Group 2), academies, movie theaters, reading rooms, arcades, PC rooms, marts (over 300㎡), and department stores.

Private gatherings will be limited to four people, the same as Level 4, but exceptions are made for formal meetings with up to eight people and first birthday parties (Doljanchi) with up to sixteen people allowed.

Event attendance is limited to fewer than 50 people, and wedding and funeral attendees are limited to 49 people each.

Religious facilities will limit attendance for regular services to within 20% of total seating capacity, and small group meetings and meals remain completely prohibited as before.

The city will apply these Level 3 social distancing standards starting today, but plans to adjust the distancing level after the 6th in accordance with government policies and quarantine guidelines.

Meanwhile, the city adjusted the distancing level considering factors such as the weekly average daily confirmed cases in the region remaining in the low 40s, the stable treatment of confirmed cases due to additional secured beds at infectious disease-dedicated hospitals and residential treatment centers (total 872 beds), and the relatively stable management as the spread in the Chungcheong region has plateaued.

In particular, the city also took into account the significant reduction in infections within specific groups (facilities) after the implementation of Level 4 distancing, and the decrease in infection chains spreading mainly among individuals, families, and acquaintances.

However, to prevent this adjustment from becoming a cause for a resurgence of infections, the city plans to further strengthen joint inspections with autonomous districts.

Mayor Heo Tae-jung of Daejeon said, “With Level 4 distancing maintained for over a month, the damage to local small business owners and self-employed individuals has reached a serious level. Considering this situation and the vaccination progress in the region (55% first dose, 29% second dose), the city has decided to ease social distancing measures.”

He added, “Given that the risk of infection from the Delta variant remains high, we urge citizens to strictly follow quarantine rules such as wearing masks until herd immunity is formed.”

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