"Breath of Relief" vs "Still Doomed" Social Distancing Eased... Mixed Reactions from Self-Employed

Restaurants and Cafes in the Capital Area Allowed to Serve Until 10 PM
Some Self-Employed Say "Operating Until 10 PM Is Useless"
Experts Call for Compensation for Self-Employed

Reference photo. The photo is not related to any specific expression in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] "Customers usually come in around 10 PM, so how can we be told to close the doors?"

Starting today (the 15th), social distancing measures have been partially eased, but reactions among self-employed business owners are mixed. Some self-employed individuals expressed optimism about sales recovery due to the extended operating hours.

On the other hand, some sectors such as karaoke rooms and pubs pointed out that extending operating hours by one hour is ineffective as the ban on gatherings of five or more people has not been lifted, showing a skeptical response. Experts emphasized the need for appropriate support for self-employed business owners.

On the 15th, Kwon Deok-cheol, Minister of Health and Welfare, stated at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting held at the Government Sejong Complex, "From midnight today, social distancing levels have been adjusted to Level 2 in the metropolitan area and Level 1.5 in non-metropolitan areas. Accordingly, restrictions on operating hours for livelihood facilities of self-employed and small business owners have been lifted or eased." He added, "Considering the increasing difficulties in the livelihood economy due to prolonged high-intensity distancing, we have carefully adjusted the distancing levels."

Following the easing of distancing measures, operating hours for restaurants, cafes, indoor sports facilities, karaoke rooms, and party rooms in the metropolitan area, which were limited to 9 PM, have been extended to 10 PM.

Additionally, six types of entertainment facilities (entertainment bars, danran bars, emotional pubs, colatecs, hunting pubs, and holdem pubs) that had been subject to gathering bans for the past three months have resumed operations. However, these sectors must comply with core quarantine rules such as a maximum of four people per room, prohibition of dance hall operations, and no movement between tables or rooms, and operate until 10 PM.

In non-metropolitan areas, with the downward adjustment of social distancing, operating hour restrictions for multi-use facilities such as restaurants, cafes, and karaoke rooms have been lifted under the condition of compliance with quarantine rules.

Summarizing the distancing easing guidelines, in the metropolitan area including Seoul, operations of restaurants, cafes, clubs, etc., must stop after 10 PM, but outside the metropolitan area, there are no restrictions on operating hours, allowing generally freer operation.

Photo by Screenshot of the self-employed community 'Apeunikka Sajangida'.

Some self-employed business owners who can now operate until 10 PM have expressed expectations for sales recovery. Especially, cafe and restaurant owners anticipate that customers will have more time, expecting sales to increase compared to before due to the one-hour extension of operating hours.

A self-employed person running a cafe in Mapo-gu, Seoul, said, "When operating hours were limited to 9 PM, customer visits sharply dropped from 8 PM. But if operating hours are extended to 10 PM, I think a few more groups will come in after 8 PM."

He added, "When in-cafe dining was not allowed, sales were heavily impacted. But now that dining is possible and operating hours have increased compared to before, I expect sales to increase a bit more."

However, some owners of late-night businesses such as entertainment pubs still voice dissatisfaction, calling it a "measure that does not consider the characteristics of each industry." They point out that since the main operating hours for sectors like karaoke rooms and pubs are late at night, a one-hour extension will not positively affect sales.

The National Emergency Countermeasures Committee for the Self-Employed stated on the 13th, "If operating hours are limited to 10 PM, scientific evidence proving how this helps quarantine must be disclosed," and criticized, "Instead of continuously announcing temporary measures under pressure from self-employed demands and public opinion, quarantine standards should be adjusted scientifically, rationally, and fairly."

Voices of dissatisfaction continue on the online cafe 'Because It's Painful, I'm the Boss,' where self-employed people gather. One netizen lamented, "Telling entertainment pubs to operate only until 10 PM is like telling restaurants to operate only until 10 AM. Most acquaintances running entertainment pubs have gone bankrupt. They have no strength left to endure."

Other netizens also criticized, "Opening entertainment facilities from 10 AM is no different from telling them not to open," "They are just showing off by extending operating hours by only one hour," and "Do you think business will improve just by extending one hour?"

Experts pointed out the need for appropriate compensation for self-employed business owners. Professor Kim Woo-joo, an infectious disease specialist at Korea University Guro Hospital, said, "Self-employed business owners have faced operating restrictions for a long time. Without proper compensation for damages, they are struggling under continuous restrictions," and added, "Some level of compensation is necessary to alleviate the burden on self-employed business owners."