Gwangjin-gu Conducts Intensive Inspection of Kondae Food Street Ahead of Halloween Day

Two Dedicated Officials Assigned Per Club and Emotional Pub for Intensive Inspection... Cooperation System Established with Gwangjin Police Station, Immediate Closure Ordered Upon Violations

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Seongap) is conducting focused inspections on entertainment facilities such as the Konkuk University Food Street, clubs, and emotional pubs to prevent a 'second Itaewon incident' ahead of Halloween Day (October 31).

The district decided to take strong measures due to concerns about a balloon effect, where large clubs in Itaewon, Gangnam, and Hongdae have agreed with health authorities to close temporarily, but people might flock to small and medium-sized bars or streets instead.

Accordingly, the district has assigned two public officials as dedicated managers per club or emotional pub to check compliance with quarantine rules.

The targets are restaurants over 150㎡ in the Konkuk University Food Street area, emotional pubs, and inspections will be concentrated from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. the next day for three days from the 29th to the 31st.

The main inspection items include ▲ compliance with QR code and handwritten logs ▲ mask-wearing ▲ distancing between tables, and in case of violations, immediate closure orders will be issued in cooperation with the Gwangjin Police Station, conducting joint inspections.

Also, the 'Gwangjin-gu Entertainment Facility Special Measures Task Force,' formed in May to prevent club-related spread, will carry out focused guidance activities to encourage restraint in gatherings and compliance with quarantine rules in the Konkuk University Food Street area from the 26th to the 31st.

Prior to this, since the 21st, the district has organized a public-private joint core quarantine rules guidance and inspection team, conducting inspections on mandatory quarantine compliance facilities in cooperation with the police.

Kim Seongap, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu, said, “Large clubs in Itaewon, Gangnam, and Hongdae have announced self-closure during Halloween to prevent COVID-19 after consultations with health authorities, but the situation is not completely safe. Especially in our district, there are small clubs, pojangmacha, and emotional pubs, so we are concerned about large crowds gathering. Therefore, we decided to block risks in advance and conduct focused inspections.”