[Asia Economy Reporter Park So-yeon] The government has decided to maintain the current level of 'social distancing' (Level 2.5 in the metropolitan area, Level 2 in non-metropolitan areas) until the 14th of this month, when the Lunar New Year holiday ends. However, in non-metropolitan areas, the operating hours of multi-use facilities such as restaurants and cafes will be extended by one hour, from 9 PM to 10 PM.
This measure is a partial relaxation of operating hour restrictions only in non-metropolitan areas, where the number of COVID-19 cases is relatively low, in response to the increasing number of self-employed people suffering from livelihood difficulties due to nearly two months of ongoing distancing measures aimed at curbing the spread of the third wave of COVID-19 in Korea.
However, the ban on all private gatherings of five or more people and the special Lunar New Year quarantine measures will remain in place.
Ban on Gatherings of Five or More People Continues Through Lunar New Year Holiday
The ban on private gatherings of five or more people will be strictly enforced without exceptions during the Lunar New Year holiday period.
Accordingly, five or more people cannot gather at the same indoor or outdoor location at the same time for personal purposes.
For traditional New Year’s bows (sebae), ancestral rites (charye), and memorial services (jesa), families living separately are limited to gatherings of up to four people.
The same applies to alumni meetings, hobby clubs, picnics, company dinners, savings clubs, housewarming parties, New Year’s or year-end parties, first birthday celebrations (doljanchi), 60th or 70th birthday celebrations (hoegap, chilsun), and regular online cafe meetings.
Reservations or group entries of five or more people at restaurants or multi-use facilities are also prohibited.
Exceptions are made for weddings, funerals, exams, briefings, and public hearings. Even in these cases, gatherings are limited to 49 people or fewer in the metropolitan area and 99 people or fewer in non-metropolitan areas, in accordance with distancing measures.
Additionally, families living together, or gatherings for caregiving of children, elderly, or disabled persons, or when family members gather due to the possibility of a deathbed situation, may exceed five people.
Metropolitan Area Level 2.5 Measures... Multi-use Facilities Remain Closed After 9 PM
The Level 2.5 measures in the metropolitan area, which have been in place since December 8 last year for nearly two months, will continue until the 14th, about a week from now.
Accordingly, the restriction on operating multi-use facilities after 9 PM will remain in effect.
The occupancy limit of one person per 8㎡ (approximately 2.4 pyeong) for indoor sports facilities such as gyms, singing rooms (noraebang), and academies remains valid. Shower rooms within indoor sports facilities may be used with booths spaced apart.
Direct sales promotion centers operated by door-to-door sales businesses will continue to limit occupancy to one person per 16㎡, and indoor standing concert halls must maintain a 2-meter distance between seats.
In restaurants and cafes, eating and drinking are allowed until 9 PM, and masks must be worn when not consuming food or drinks. Violations will result in fines of up to 100,000 KRW.
Especially, when two or more people order drinks and simple desserts at restaurants or cafes, the in-store usage time is limited to within one hour.
For low-risk religious activities such as regular worship services, Buddhist ceremonies, and Catholic masses, face-to-face services are allowed at up to 10% of total seating capacity in the metropolitan area and up to 20% in non-metropolitan areas.
Accommodation facilities are limited to accepting reservations for up to two-thirds of total rooms, and exceeding the maximum occupancy per room is prohibited; these measures will be extended for two weeks.
Under Level 2.5, the principle is to stay home as much as possible and refrain from going out, gatherings, and using multi-use facilities. Gatherings or events of 50 or more people are banned, and some multi-use facilities are closed.
In particular, the five types of entertainment facilities where cluster infections frequently occurred?clubs, karaoke bars (noraebang), danran pubs, hunting pubs, and emotional pubs?along with hold'em pubs, will continue to be banned from operating.
General management facilities such as marts, PC rooms, arcades, beauty salons, movie theaters, and study rooms mostly close after 9 PM, and tasting is prohibited in stores, marts, and department stores.
In movie theaters and performance halls, seats are spaced two seats apart per group rather than individually.
Wedding halls and funeral homes are limited to fewer than 50 people.
Remote work and online classes are expanded, academies are closed, and transportation bookings for KTX, express buses, and other means (excluding airplanes) are recommended to be limited to 50% capacity.
Sauna and jjimjilbang facilities within bathhouses are prohibited from operating, and events or parties hosted by accommodation facilities are banned, maintaining the additional measures of 'Level 2 + α.'
Sports games are held without spectators.
Non-metropolitan Areas Level 2 Measures... Restaurants, Cafes, and Indoor Sports Facilities Open Until 10 PM
In non-metropolitan areas where Level 2 measures are maintained, restrictions on operating hours for multi-use facilities are somewhat relaxed.
Restaurants, cafes, indoor sports facilities, singing rooms, indoor standing concert halls, party rooms, and direct sales promotion centers operated by door-to-door sales businesses will extend their operating hours by one hour, from 9 PM to 10 PM.
For restaurants and cafes, only takeout and delivery are allowed after 10 PM, as before. Also, it is strongly recommended to limit usage time when two or more people order only coffee, drinks, or simple desserts.
Indoor sports facilities are limited to one person per 4㎡ (approximately 1.2 pyeong).
Earlier, the suspension of operations after 9 PM was lifted for winter sports facilities such as ski resorts, ice rinks, and sledding hills, and movie theaters and performance halls may seat groups with one seat spacing between groups.
Gatherings and events of 100 or more people are banned, and weddings and funerals are limited to fewer than 100 people.
Eating is prohibited in bathhouses, arcades, multi-rooms, academies, and vocational training centers, and density must be reduced by measures such as 'spacing seats.'
Sports stadiums may admit spectators up to 10% of capacity.
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