After the outbreak of a mass infection at the Pocha Kingpin, the 6th inspection was conducted targeting similar establishments... Six pocha businesses in Gwangjin-gu received administrative sanctions such as business suspension and fines... On the 8th, a large-scale joint public-private field inspection was conducted around Konkuk University Station... Businesses not complying with quarantine rules face a one-strike-out policy and strong administrative sanctions.
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Seon-gap) conducted the 6th large-scale joint public-private inspection on the evening of the 8th in the area of Konkuk University’s Taste Street, where many multi-use facilities are concentrated, to prevent the recurrence of the recent cluster infection at Pocha Kkeutpanwang.
Prior to this, the district identified violations of quarantine rules and provision of alcohol to minors through CCTV checks at six local pocha establishments, including Pocha Kkeutpanwang, and imposed strong administrative measures such as business suspension and fines. Currently, all are not operating.
On this day, 55 people including public officials, the Facility Management Corporation, and the Gwangjin-gu Disaster Recovery Private Council participated in the joint inspection, checking 744 locations including general restaurants under the Food Sanitation Act, room cafes, and party rooms located in the Taste Street area around Konkuk University Station (Konkuk, Neungmaru).
In particular, to prevent similar cluster infection risks, a proactive and thorough investigation was conducted focusing on room-type establishments such as room cafes and party rooms, which are blind spots outside of pocha inspections.
The inspection items included ▲ prohibition of gatherings of five or more people ▲ mask-wearing ▲ installation and use of electronic entry logs (or handwritten logs).
Since 0:00 on February 6, administrative orders have been issued for general restaurants under the Food Sanitation Act, and acts such as dancing, singing, sharing tables, or aiding and abetting these behaviors were also monitored.
As a result of the inspection, most party rooms were either closed or shuttered, and the three operating establishments were complying with quarantine rules.
Room cafes operated in a mini-room format but were following basic quarantine rules. Some of these establishments had incomplete handwritten log formats, so guidance was given to fill in names, and new handwritten log forms were distributed to complete the measures.
The district also conducted inspections on general restaurants other than those related to Pocha Kkeutpanwang, detecting violations of the Food Sanitation Act and Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act at 51 establishments, resulting in fines ranging from a minimum of 200,000 KRW to a maximum of 1.5 million KRW and 15-day business suspensions.
Starting with this joint inspection, the district will continuously carry out a public-private joint campaign to comply with quarantine rules in the Konkuk Taste Street area for 13 days until the 26th.
This campaign will involve 144 participants including public officials, the Gwangjin-gu Disaster Recovery Private Council, the Autonomous Disaster Prevention Corps, and the Autonomous Crime Prevention Corps, aiming to promote administrative action notices for hygiene establishments such as general restaurants.
Additionally, the district plans to conduct daily guidance and enforcement for rapid response, along with joint police and public-private crackdowns.
For establishments found violating quarantine rules and administrative orders, strong administrative measures (one-strike-out system) will be enforced based on laws and regulations.
Kim Seon-gap, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu, stated, “In addition to hunting pochas, we will proactively conduct thorough investigations of room cafes, party rooms, and escape room establishments where cluster infections may occur in the future, continuously guide, inspect, and crack down to eliminate blind spots. If violations of quarantine rules are detected, strong administrative actions will be taken immediately.”
He added, “Through such guidance and inspections, we will identify characteristics by industry and facility, establish quarantine measures unique to Gwangjin-gu, and take measures stronger than manuals.”
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