Unable to Go to Ski Resorts... Nationwide Ban on Gatherings of More Than 5 People

Year-End and New Year COVID-19 Prevention Measures Strengthened Significantly

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Kwangho Lee and Sojeong Seo] The government announced a "Year-end and New Year Enhanced Quarantine Special Measures" to close winter sports facilities such as ski resorts and sunrise tourist attractions from the 24th of this month until January 3rd of next year. Under this measure, the ban on private gatherings of five or more people will also be expanded nationwide. This is interpreted as a strong intention to decisively curb the third wave of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) through quarantine measures stricter than the social distancing level 3.

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun stated at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) meeting held at the Government Seoul Office on the 22nd, "There has been much social discussion about whether to raise the distancing level as about 1,000 confirmed cases have occurred daily for nearly a week," adding, "The government will implement the Year-end and New Year Enhanced Quarantine Special Measures to practically block the spread of infections in daily life rather than making formal adjustments to the distancing levels."

The government will expand the "ban on gatherings of five or more people," which was to be applied as a local government administrative order in the Seoul metropolitan area including Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, and Incheon, to the entire country. Winter sports facilities such as ski resorts, sledding hills, and skating rinks, which are heavily used during the winter season, will be banned from gathering nationwide. Sixteen ski resorts, 35 ice rinks, and 128 sledding hills across the country will be unable to operate. Yoon Tae-ho, head of the Central Accident Response Headquarters' quarantine team, explained, "This measure was taken considering the recent cluster infections at ski resorts in Gangwon Province and the increased risk of infection due to the rise in tourism and travel demand for winter sports facilities during the holiday period."

Reservation Limits to 50% of Rooms in Lodging Facilities
Closure of Sunrise Tourist Attractions such as Jeongdongjin and Homigot

To minimize travel, tourism, and interregional movement, lodging facilities such as resorts, hotels, guesthouses, and rural homestays will also be limited to reservations of up to 50% of their rooms. No more guests than the room capacity will be allowed to stay. For lodging facilities where reservations exceeding 50% have already been made or where bookings exceed room capacity, customers will be informed about cancellation procedures and refund policies, and reservations must be adjusted to within 50%. This applies to 2,218 hotels nationwide under the Tourism Promotion Act, 30,381 lodging businesses under the Public Health Act, 28,567 rural homestays, and 2,049 foreigner city homestays.

Major tourist attractions for sunrise and sunset viewing such as Jeongdongjin in Gangneung, Ganjeolgot in Ulsan, Homigot in Pohang, and Namsan Park in Seoul, as well as national and public parks, will be closed and visitor access restricted. Additionally, 'party rooms,' frequently used as venues for private gatherings and parties, will be banned from gathering. Movie theaters nationwide must cease operations after 9 p.m. and implement seat spacing by leaving one seat empty between patrons. Yoon emphasized, "We aim to minimize private gatherings or parties, travel and tourism, and the use of winter leisure facilities during Christmas and the year-end and New Year period," and urged, "Operators and workers at high-risk facilities vulnerable to infection, such as nursing hospitals and facilities, psychiatric hospitals, and call centers, should strictly adhere to quarantine rules including refraining from outings and gatherings."

As of midnight on the day, there were a total of 869 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 824 domestic cases and 45 imported cases. Although the number fell below 1,000 for two consecutive days following the previous day, cluster infections continue to erupt nationwide in places such as detention centers and nursing hospitals. The number of deaths on the day was 24, marking the highest for two consecutive days. By region, 309 cases in Seoul, 193 in Gyeonggi Province, and 44 in Incheon accounted for 546 cases in the metropolitan area alone, representing 66.3% of the total. The quarantine authorities predict that about 1,000 to 1,200 cases will occur next week as well.