Police Arrest 38 People at Gangnam Host Bar for 'Illegal Business'

Photo by Seoul Suseo Police Station

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] A host bar operating illegally in violation of gathering ban measures was caught by the police.

According to the police on the 14th, the Suseo Police Station in Seoul apprehended a total of 38 people, including 30-year-old business owner Mr. A, one waiter, 22 male hosts, and 14 customers, at an underground host bar in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu at around 1:05 a.m. that day.

After receiving a report of a "secretly operating host bar," the police confirmed that a woman who tested positive for COVID-19 on the 7th had visited this host bar, and conducted a joint crackdown nearby on the afternoon of the 13th.

Mr. A initially closed the business and refused to comply with the crackdown, but opened the door forcibly at 1:05 a.m. The establishment was an unregistered business located in a closed karaoke room, and it was investigated that Mr. A operated secretly by accepting only professional women and foreign international students as members.

The police have criminally charged business owner Mr. A and 12 hosts who served customers with violations of the Food Sanitation Act (unauthorized business operation, etc.), and plan to notify the relevant district office of all those caught for violations of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act.

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