Ban on Gathering Orders Lifted for Busan Entertainment Venues

Busan City Changes to 'Gathering Restrictions' at 71 Locations Starting Noon on the 9th

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] The administrative order banning gatherings at entertainment facilities in Busan city has been fully lifted.

Busan city announced that from 12 PM on the 9th, the 'gathering ban administrative order' that had been continuously enforced to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) at 71 entertainment facilities, including 14 clubs, 15 emotional pubs, and 42 colatecs in the city, will be lifted.

Although sporadic cluster infections continue in the metropolitan area, Busan decided on this measure judging that the situation has entered a relatively stable phase, as no additional confirmed cases have occurred despite confirmed cases within schools.

Although the gathering ban order has been lifted, all these facilities are classified as high-risk facilities and are subject to 'gathering restriction measures.' These facilities are advised to refrain from operating, and if operation is unavoidable, they must strictly comply with the core quarantine rules specific to each facility.

If core quarantine rules are violated, fines of up to 3 million KRW will be imposed on business owners and users, and administrative measures banning gatherings will be enforced.

High-risk facilities refer to eight types of facilities with high user density in enclosed spaces, including hunting pochas, emotional pubs, entertainment pubs, danran pubs, colatecs, karaoke rooms, indoor group exercise (intense GX types), and indoor standing performance halls.

Starting from the 10th, the city plans to proactively introduce the electronic entry log system (KI-pass) for the 71 entertainment facilities subject to high-risk facility measures and implement special management.

Through this measure, the city aims to alleviate the economic difficulties of facility workers who have suffered due to extended gathering bans, while strengthening inspections on compliance with core quarantine rules to prevent the spread of infectious diseases within high-risk facilities.

Since this measure is designed to establish a cooperative atmosphere for preventing the spread of COVID-19 and to revitalize the local economy, facilities that do not comply with core quarantine rules will be immediately reported under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, and in case of confirmed cases, business operators and facility users will be held liable for all related quarantine costs such as investigation, testing, and treatment.

Lee Byung-moon, Director of the Health and Hygiene Division of Busan city, said, "As social distancing may become somewhat relaxed due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation, we ask both business operators and citizens to actively participate in social distancing and compliance with quarantine rules."