Gwangju City Extends Social Distancing Level 2 Until the 27th

Among 14 Types of Prohibited Gathering Facilities, 13 Types Adjusted to 'Gathering Restrictions'

Gwangju Mayor Lee Yong-seop is announcing the results of the COVID-19 Public-Private Joint Countermeasures Committee meeting on the afternoon of the 20th at the city hall briefing room. Photo by Gwangju Metropolitan City

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City has decided to extend the social distancing level 2, which was set to end on the 20th, until the 27th.

The Gwangju COVID-19 Public-Private Joint Countermeasures Committee held a meeting on the 20th at the city hall's medium conference room and decided to extend the level 2 period, stating, "COVID-19 infections are spreading widely nationwide, and with the Chuseok holiday approaching, when population movement begins, it is a serious situation where the possibility of a COVID-19 resurgence cannot be excluded."

Accordingly, gatherings and events of more than 50 people indoors and more than 100 people outdoors will continue to be prohibited until the 27th.

At the meeting, the Public-Private Joint Countermeasures Committee adjusted the 14 types of key management facilities that had been subject to closure orders, allowing 13 types of facilities to operate under 'gathering restrictions,' except for the 'community sports club group sports activities,' which remain high risk due to confirmed cases.

Also, Buk-gu, which has shown stability with no confirmed cases for four consecutive days, will be removed from the intensive quarantine management areas.

The committee stated, "Thanks to the active cooperation of citizens, the number of daily confirmed cases in Gwangju has decreased to three or fewer for 10 days since the 11th, and no local infection cases have occurred since the 17th," adding, "We have allowed citizens' social and economic activities to proceed within the manageable range of the quarantine system."

However, to prevent the spread of COVID-19, additional quarantine rules such as time and capacity limits will be applied to some gathering-restricted facilities, and each facility will be required to keep inspection logs.

Specifically, entertainment bars, colatecs, danran bars, emotional bars, hunting pochas, karaoke rooms, indoor standing concert halls, and bathhouses/saunas will be prohibited from operating between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.

Indoor group exercises requiring intense physical activity such as Zumba dance and spinning are prohibited for gatherings of 10 or more, and multi-rooms/DVD rooms are limited to three or fewer people per room.

Direct sales promotion centers such as door-to-door sales, religious facilities, prayer rooms, kids cafes, national and public performance halls, movie theaters, and educational centers will limit gatherings to one person per 4 square meters to reduce crowd density inside the facilities.

PC rooms, game centers, and amusement facilities will relax the age restriction for entry from "under 19 years old" to "under 18 years old," but food sales and consumption inside the facilities will be allowed only under the condition of fewer than two people.

Starting from the 21st, Gwangju will resume operations of the Kim Dae-jung Convention Center, National Asia Culture Center, Jeonil Building 245, as well as national and public performance halls, movie theaters, libraries, museums, art galleries, educational centers, and public sports facilities.

However, social welfare facilities such as senior centers and daycare centers will remain closed, visits to nursing homes for the elderly will be prohibited, and sports games will continue to be held without spectators until the 27th.

Regarding these eased measures, Gwangju city stated that if any violations of quarantine rules or confirmed cases occur in gathering-restricted facilities, posing a risk of local infection resurgence, they will immediately impose gathering bans without any tolerance and take strong actions such as filing complaints under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, claiming damages, and seeking compensation.

Lee Yong-seop, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City and co-chairman of the Public-Private Joint Countermeasures Committee, said, "Considering the prolonged COVID-19 situation and strengthened social distancing, the pain experienced by citizens in daily life and the economic sacrifices of self-employed business owners are very significant, so we have greatly reduced the number of gathering-ban facilities. However, I am very concerned that this measure might cause complacency, thinking 'it is now safe.' Please maintain vigilance, recognizing the dangerous situation where anyone, anywhere, can infect me with the virus, and strictly follow the quarantine rules," he urged.