[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] The PC bang industry has declared that it will resume operations after 9 PM starting from the 18th, defying the government's business restriction measures.
The Korea Internet Content Service Cooperative stated in a press release issued under the name of Chairman Choi Yoon-sik that "the social distancing level 2.5, which has been in effect since December 8, has been extended for another two weeks, and with no clear indication of when normal business can resume, the PC bang industry can no longer agree to the government's quarantine policy that enforces suffering only on small business owners and self-employed individuals."
The cooperative recalled that despite faithfully adhering to the government's quarantine guidelines, many PC bangs have closed due to business suspension orders under the gathering ban and the resulting economic losses, and that there are still operators contemplating closure even at this moment.
The cooperative claimed, "Using the business restriction measures on PC bangs after 9 PM, similar PC bang operations such as study cafes providing PCs and games are thriving, facilitating late-night youth access and smoking."
It continued, "PC bang owners who have invested all their assets to make a living are already at the limit of survival, burdened by the government's irresponsible disaster policy for small business owners and self-employed individuals, which demands enduring pain with disaster relief funds that do not even cover electricity bills, and by complacent administration that neglects similar PC bang operations."
Then, the cooperative announced, "PC bang owners declare their refusal to comply with the business restriction measures for business normalization and will resume operations after 9 PM starting on the 18th."
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