[Report] "Please Let Us Do Night Business" Self-Employed Urge Lifting of 'Business Restrictions' Following Suspension of Quarantine Pass

Temporary Suspension of Vaccine Pass at Restaurants and Cafes from Midnight
Expectations Rise as 'QR Check' is Lifted: "Customers May Visit More"
Appeals to Lift Business Restrictions for Real Recovery

On the 28th of last month, a food alley in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul. Although it was the day before a holiday, the streets appeared quiet. Photo by Intern Reporter Kim Jeong-wan kjw106@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy reporters Seunggon Han, interns Jungwan Kim and Wooseok Kang] "You have to lift the time restrictions for us to do some business."

On the day before the full suspension of the quarantine pass (vaccination certificate/negative test confirmation system) on the 28th, self-employed business owners met in a food alley in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, expressed faint hopes.

Mr. Jo (68), who runs a bakery, said about the quarantine pass lift, "It has to be lifted. After all, what good is quarantine if it doesn't work?"

Regarding the increase in sales due to the adjustment of the quarantine pass, he added, "People will probably move around a bit more, so I have some expectations." He continued, "Customers and people will take care of themselves. Right now, it's not a situation where enforcement works. Too many people are getting infected, so now everyone just takes care of themselves. No matter how much enforcement is tried, it's useless."

The government lifted the quarantine pass from 0:00 on the 1st for 11 multi-use facilities such as restaurants and cafes, vulnerable infection facilities, and gatherings, meetings, and events with 50 or more people. The plan is to implement the quarantine system trusting the public's autonomy.

The quarantine pass was lifted for 11 types of establishments: ▲entertainment facilities ▲karaoke (coin) practice rooms ▲indoor sports facilities ▲bathhouses ▲horse racing venues ▲restaurants and cafes ▲multi-rooms ▲PC rooms ▲sports stadiums (spectator) ▲party rooms ▲massage and bodywork centers. However, this measure is temporary, and the government stated that it may be resumed or adjusted depending on the emergence of new variants and vaccination status.

Given the situation, some expect that the adjustment of the quarantine pass and the resulting increase in foot traffic could somewhat ease the worries of self-employed restaurant operators. On the other hand, there is strong criticism that business hour restrictions should also be lifted or adjusted. Among self-employed business owners, while easing the quarantine pass is welcomed, there is growing public opinion demanding that business hours be restored to pre-COVID-19 conditions.

Dongdaemun-gu entertainment district. On this day, the street had few pedestrians, showing only a quiet scene. Photo by Seunggon Han hsg@asiae.co.kr

On the 28th, the food alley near Dongdaemun appeared quiet considering it was the day before a public holiday. The only foot traffic consisted of small groups of office workers gathering here and there. Although neon signs and bright lights were on at bars and karaoke rooms, the entrances were silent without noisy customers. Because of this, there are complaints that not only the quarantine pass but also business hour restrictions should be adjusted.

Mr. Kim, in his early 60s, who runs a pub near a university, raised his voice, saying, "Omicron has a lower fatality rate, so if the quarantine pass is lifted, the time restrictions should naturally be lifted too. What I want most is the lifting of time restrictions."

He continued, "Restaurants that operate from morning to evening are not much affected by time restrictions, but those that operate from evening to dawn are struggling a lot. Because of those time restrictions, sales have been cut to about one-tenth for two years. Not only me, but many places around me that open in the afternoon have all gone bankrupt."

He added, "In my case, I've been dragging along with debt after debt. With the increase in Omicron cases, QR code checks are meaningless now. I hope restaurants are not lumped together but are distinguished according to the characteristics of daytime and nighttime restaurants, and quarantine rules are eased accordingly. I hope the hours can be extended at least until midnight."

Regarding what he hopes from the government or presidential candidates, he said, "This is a national disaster. Passing all this debt onto self-employed small business owners means this country is practically non-existent for us. The 3 million won we received this time was immediately used to pay overdue utility bills and credit card payments, so we have nothing left. Since this is a national issue, compensation for losses should be provided quickly so that people like us at the very bottom of self-employed businesses can breathe."

On the afternoon of the 21st of last month, representatives of the Coalition of Self-Employed Businesses Affected by COVID-19 (Coja Chong) held a candlelight cultural event at Hongdae Entrance Station in Mapo-gu, Seoul, demanding the removal of business hour restrictions and compensation for losses suffered by self-employed individuals.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

As Mr. Kim's appeal shows, some self-employed business owners cannot endure the losses caused by business hour restrictions and have begun resisting the quarantine guidelines that limit operations after 10 p.m. On the 25th, the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business held a press conference in front of a sashimi restaurant in Jongno-gu, Seoul, at 10 p.m. in the Jonggak Youth Street area, declaring the start of 24-hour operations and stating, "We reject the order to ban business after 10 p.m. that kills self-employed business owners."

The group said, "We endured hellish times for over two years following the government's quarantine policies. But the price for prioritizing public interest is devastating," and appealed, "We are in a situation where we cannot live or die due to economic bankruptcy." They added, "The government tries to cover the damage we suffered over the past two years with a 3 million won quarantine support fund," and declared, "We will no longer comply with the government's unilateral administrative orders without compensation."

They stated, "We resist public authority with the right to resist to protect our lives," and urged, "The government must provide proper compensation as stipulated by the constitution to self-employed business owners who suffered damage and were driven to bankruptcy due to quarantine measures."

Summarizing the situation, the temporary suspension of the quarantine pass is not a measure that can provide significant relief to self-employed business owners. The Federation of Small Business also issued a statement on the 28th urging the abolition of business hour restrictions.

The group emphasized, "We hope the quarantine pass will be completely abolished following this temporary suspension," and "The government should actively consider abolishing the current business hour restrictions." They also argued that the current social distancing guidelines focused on business restrictions are no longer meaningful, appealing, "The government should seek a transition to a private autonomous quarantine system and support small business owners with disinfectant and antibacterial products."

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