Halloween Nightlife Bustles, Quarantine Measures Vanish... 1,200 People Caught in Illegal Entertainment Venues Over 3 Days

'Illegal Club Operations' Gangnam Restaurant Raids Result in 234 Arrests

On the 31st, Halloween Day, Seoul city officials and police conducted a special quarantine crackdown in the Itaewon area of Yongsan-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] Ahead of 'Halloween Day' on the 31st of last month, a joint crackdown on clubs and other entertainment venues uncovered over 1,000 violators of quarantine rules. Concerns about the spread of COVID-19 have also emerged as the phased return to normal life is being fully implemented.

According to the National Police Agency on the 1st, the police, in cooperation with local governments, inspected 11,174 entertainment venues including clubs over three days from the 29th to the 31st of last month, and cracked down on 101 cases and 1,289 people related to violations of quarantine rules such as gathering bans and illegal business operations.

By date, 34 cases and 400 people were caught on the 29th, 47 cases and 630 people on the 30th, and 20 cases and 259 people on the 31st. In Seoul, at around 8:15 p.m. on the 30th, a general restaurant in Gangnam-gu was caught operating as an unlicensed club after installing a DJ box and stage. A total of 234 people, including the owner and customers, were caught at this location alone. On the same day at around 10:30 p.m., a general restaurant in Songpa-gu was operating by employing 10 entertainment workers and serving reserved customers, resulting in the crackdown of 51 people including the owner.

In Busan, from 8 p.m. on the 29th to 10 a.m. the next day, a joint inspection of 555 entertainment venues led to 23 cases and 195 people being caught. By type, violations of gathering restrictions accounted for 18 cases and 185 people, unlicensed business operations for 3 cases and 8 people, and alcohol sales at singing practice rooms for 2 cases and 2 people, in that order.

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