Gangwon-do Lifts Private Gathering Restrictions in 15 Cities and Counties Starting Next Month 1st

Gangwon Provincial Government

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[Asia Economy Reporter La Young-cheol] Gangwon Province announced on the 28th that "from July 1st, it will fully transition to a 'new social distancing system' and promote quarantine management based on local autonomy and responsibility."

According to the province on the day, with the full implementation of the new distancing system, the previously pilot-applied areas (15 cities and counties with populations under 100,000) will apply a complete Level 1, lifting restrictions on the number of private gatherings. Religious facility-hosted meetings, meals, and accommodations must follow quarantine rules.

In the Wonju and Gangneung areas, as a phased relaxation measure, a two-week transition period (July 1 to July 14) will be implemented with a ban on private gatherings of 9 or more people and a ban on meetings, meals, and accommodations at religious facilities.

After the transition period ends, the rules corresponding to each level will be applied. (However, if the level is raised during the transition period, the rules of the raised level will apply.)

Chuncheon, where the spread continues, will apply Level 3, and other cities and counties will apply strengthened quarantine rules through level upgrades if confirmed cases meet the transition criteria.

Additionally, a rapid diagnostic testing system for symptomatic individuals will be maintained, and a proactive testing system such as diagnostic test buses will be implemented. Through a pilot project utilizing self-test kits (distribution of 50,000 units), the province aims to minimize quarantine blind spots.

Quarantine management of major tourist sites will also be strengthened in accordance with the special summer quarantine measures.

The province will deploy 900 safety management personnel to 374 water play management sites (272 general sites, 102 priority sites). Dedicated public officials will be assigned to priority sites to manage quarantine situations and conduct on-site inspections under a dedicated management system.

For beach quarantine management, measures such as Safe Call (87 sites), temperature stickers (5 sites), congestion traffic light systems (87 sites), and advance reservation systems (5 sites) will be implemented. At five large beaches, eating and drinking within shared waters will be prohibited outside opening hours (7 PM to 6 AM the next day).

Even though restrictions on the number of private gatherings are eased, the province urged that large-scale gatherings, workplace dinners, and meetings involving drinking be gradually dispersed and that basic quarantine rules such as mask-wearing be strictly observed.

Park Dong-ju, Director of the Department of Health, Welfare, and Women of the province, said, "Transitioning to the new distancing system is a measure to ease quarantine, but it is also about maintaining the quarantine system based on autonomy and responsibility while being faithful to the basics."

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