Oh Se-hoon "Promoting the Establishment of 'Seoul-style Social Distancing Manual' by Industry and Business Type"

"Consult with the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters based on the manual starting early next week"

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is answering questions from reporters after meeting with counseling staff at the 120 Dasan Call Foundation in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul on the 12th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is pushing to establish a ‘Seoul-style social distancing manual’ that reflects the characteristics of each industry. Since his first day at work on the 8th, despite the trend of over 500 to 600 new COVID-19 cases daily, Mayor Oh has opposed the central government’s approach, stating that “lockdown-style social distancing is no longer sustainable.”

On the 12th, Mayor Oh personally took part in the morning COVID briefing, which had been handled by the Seoul City COVID-19 related departments such as the Citizen Health Bureau, and announced the ‘Seoul-style Coexistence Quarantine Promotion Direction.’ This came just three days after he issued a directive to reconsider the government’s social distancing method during the comprehensive countermeasure meeting he chaired for the first time last week. Mayor Oh refined the promotion direction until the last moment.

Mayor Oh stated, “We intend to establish customized quarantine rules by industry and business type that are acceptable on the ground and achieve more effective quarantine results, replacing the existing quarantine rules.” He added, “While minimizing sales damage, we will drastically strengthen quarantine rules and introduce a one-strike-out system for businesses that violate them, thereby further strengthening the responsibilities and obligations of business owners.”

Earlier, on the 10th, Seoul City sent emails to related industries such as the Korea Entertainment Food Industry Central Association and the Korea Danran Pub Industry Central Association to collect opinions on classification by type of entertainment facilities and restaurants and customized quarantine rules. Mayor Oh said, “We will prepare a manual at the Seoul City level by this weekend and start consultations with the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) next week regarding implementation methods and timing.” He added, “Even if a pilot implementation is conducted for specific industries before full implementation, we will consult with the CDSCH to avoid confusion on the ground.”

According to Seoul City, the government’s classification of entertainment facilities will be further subdivided to differentiate operating hours. The main points include allowing entertainment pubs, danran pubs, emotional pubs, and hunting pochas to operate from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m.; holdem pubs and pubs from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.; and restaurants and cafes to operate until 10 p.m. as before. The current government guidelines regulate six types of entertainment facilities with high density?entertainment pubs, danran pubs, emotional pubs, holdem pubs, colatecs, and hunting pochas?together under the same operating restrictions.

Mayor Oh also requested the central government to actively consider the introduction of self-diagnostic kits. He explained, “Seoul City urges the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to promptly approve the use of self-diagnostic kits,” and added, “Seoul City will also actively consider conducting pilot projects using rapid antigen test kits independently of the Ministry’s approval.”