Stricter Measures Than Level 2 'Social Distancing'... Worship and Mass Shifted to Non-Face-to-Face
Intensive Disinfection of 10 Major Facilities Including Academies, PC Rooms, Karaoke, and Bathhouses
On the 23rd, one day before the social distancing level in the metropolitan area is raised to Level 2, commuters are moving busily at Sindorim Station in Seoul. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@
[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] In line with the 'Social Distancing' Level 2 measures in the Seoul metropolitan area, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has declared the period until the end of the year as the 'Emergency Pause Period for Ten Million Citizens.' This comes three months after the declaration of the 'Ten Million Citizens Pause Week' at the end of August, when confirmed cases surged following the cluster infection originating from Sarang Jeil Church and downtown rallies.
Seo Jeong-hyeop, Acting Mayor of Seoul, held a briefing on the morning of the 23rd, stating, "Before COVID-19 stops everything, we must strongly pause first," adding, "There is no place left to retreat, nor time to hesitate." He appealed, "Please actively participate in the emergency pause period, leaving only the minimum activities necessary for livelihood."
The city first recommended restrictions on the number of people and bans on food consumption at karaoke rooms, PC rooms, and academies, which require special management ahead of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) approaching in 10 days. From one week before the CSAT, the city will intensively disinfect 1,800 places including all entrance exam academies and private tutoring centers, as well as restaurants and cafes frequently visited by examinees, and thoroughly check compliance with quarantine rules. Among public institution employees, those with examinees in their families are to work from home in principle until the day of the CSAT.
Under Level 2 social distancing, attendance at regular worship services, Buddhist ceremonies, and Masses at religious facilities is limited to 20% of seating capacity, but Seoul strongly recommends switching to non-face-to-face services to raise awareness further. Call centers, considered high-risk workplaces, are to reduce the number of workers by half through telecommuting and other measures. For nursing homes and daycare centers, which have many elderly residents and thus higher risk, visits, outings, overnight stays of residents, and external instructor programs are prohibited, while proactive testing of about 40,000 workers and users will be conducted every two weeks.
Additionally, from midnight on the 24th, Seoul will ban all gatherings of 10 or more people throughout the city. This is effectively a measure equivalent to Level 3 social distancing. Accordingly, the general strike and protests planned by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions in front of the National Assembly on the 25th are expected to be scaled down or canceled.
Acting Mayor Seo warned, "Organizers and participants of gatherings violating this will be reported to the local police station and may be fined up to 3 million won."
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