'Time-Slot Based Visitor Limits' and Other Waterpark Quarantine Rules Established (Update)

On the 24th, when the daytime temperature in Seoul rose to 30 degrees Celsius and a 'heatwave advisory' was issued, children visiting the Seongnaecheon water playground in Songpa-gu, Seoul, cooled off by playing in the water. Photo by Jin-Hyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The government announced on the 3rd that it has established detailed guidelines for social distancing in daily life at water play-type amusement facilities such as water parks, which will begin full-scale operation starting this July.

Kim Kang-lip, the 1st Chief Coordinator of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, stated this during a regular briefing held at the Government Sejong Complex on the same day.

The detailed social distancing guidelines for water play-type amusement facilities were prepared by revising and supplementing the existing detailed guidelines for amusement facilities to include content related to water play-type amusement facilities. The quarantine authorities plan to distribute these to relevant organizations.

The detailed guidelines include ▲using personal items such as towels, swimsuits, and goggles ▲preferably using outdoor rest facilities rather than indoor ones ▲using auxiliary facilities such as changing rooms (locker rooms), showers, and waiting rooms with an appropriate number of users to maintain distancing ▲maintaining a distance of 2 meters (at least 1 meter) between users within the facility ▲limiting the number of users by time slots to prevent crowding.

Additionally, the government will conduct safety inspections of water play-type amusement facilities. From this month to next month, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and local governments will jointly conduct on-site inspections targeting about 200 locations. To request cooperation in complying with quarantine rules and operating an appropriate number of users, meetings will also be held with major companies.

Chief Coordinator Kim urged, "Both users and workers of water play-type amusement facilities must strictly follow the social distancing guidelines in daily life."