Gangdong-gu to Provide Up to 1 Million Won Support for Billiard and Table Tennis Halls if They Close Temporarily

All Private Sports Facilities Targeted... Voluntary Participation Encouraged for Social Distancing Extension... Applications Accepted for 3 Days from April 6, Support Provided for Continuous Closure of 8 or More Days Between April 6-17

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon) is expanding the scope of the "closure support fund" given to multi-use facilities that voluntarily close in response to "social distancing" to include all private sports facilities.

Initially, the closure support fund targeted businesses such as singing practice rooms, game facility providers (PC rooms, youth game providers, general game providers), and sports facilities (martial arts schools, fitness centers, martial arts academies, dojos, and free business categories including yoga, Pilates, and Zumba). However, due to the two-week extension of the high-intensity social distancing period, this decision was made.

This measure aims to effectively block the spread of COVID-19 by encouraging private sports facilities, which have a high risk of group infections in crowded spaces, to participate in closures, while minimizing damage to self-employed business owners.

Accordingly, billiard halls, table tennis halls, swimming pools, and others that were not originally included will now be eligible to receive the closure support fund.

The eligible facilities are all sports facilities registered and reported in Gangdong-gu as of April 3 (including golf practice ranges, swimming pools, etc.), and all sports-related free business categories with business registration addresses in Gangdong-gu (such as table tennis halls, aerobics, squash, etc.) that have closed consecutively for 8 days or more between April 6 and April 17. Support is provided at 100,000 KRW per day of closure, up to a maximum of 1,000,000 KRW.

Applications will be accepted for three days from April 6 to April 8. Applications can be submitted by visiting the district office, via fax, or email, and must include the closure support fund application form, business registration certificate or business report certificate, a copy of the bankbook, a copy of the applicant’s ID, and a photo showing the closure notice posted.

Those who have already applied for the closure support fund or operated even one day during the closure period are not eligible. The support fund will be paid at the end of April after document review and on-site verification.

Lee Jeong-hoon, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, said, “We have expanded the closure support fund to all private sports facilities to alleviate the economic difficulties of small business owners who participated in closures as part of social distancing.” He added, “We will continue to increase measures to support the closure participation of multi-use facilities with high risk of group infections and minimize the damage to small business owners who joined in overcoming this crisis.”

For details regarding the private sports facility closure support fund, please check the Gangdong-gu Office website or contact the Gangdong-gu Office Department of Sports for All.