Changed Registry Method "What Are We Supposed to Do Without Any Guidance" ... Users and Business Owners 'Confused'

Prohibition of '0 plus 1 person' on Visitor Lists
Up to 3 Million KRW Fine for Business Owners, 100,000 KRW for Users
Small Business Association Calls for More Active Promotion by Local Governments

List of visitors to a snack bar in Masanhappo-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam./Photo by Saeyan Park sy77@

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Saeyan] As the 'mandatory entry of all visitors in multi-use facilities' has been implemented, some citizens seem unaware that the method of filling out the visitor log has changed. There are concerns that due to passive promotion by local governments, business owners might suffer damage instead.

Changwon City in Gyeongnam announced that it began full-scale inspections of multi-use facilities starting from the 12th.

Violators face fines of up to 3 million KRW for business owners and up to 100,000 KRW for users. Accordingly, users of multi-use facilities must record the contact information of all members of their party when filling out the handwritten visitor log.

However, due to insufficient guidance from local governments, confusion about the method of filling out the log is occurring not only among business owners but also among users.

Some business owners expressed dissatisfaction, saying, "When are we supposed to check the logs one by one?"

User A (20, female), who filled out the log by hand, said, "I didn’t know there was a changed method for filling out the log," adding, "People around me also seem unaware that the law has changed unless they watch the news."

Given this situation, in a handwritten visitor log placed next to the counter of a snack bar in Changwon, the remarks column contained the phrase '0 plus 1 person' in about 4 out of 10 entries. The business owner even said they only realized the log-filling method had changed after the three-day grace period had passed.

B (67, female), who runs the snack bar, explained, "I happened to see the news after work at home and learned that the handwritten log method had changed," adding, "The local government occasionally visited the store and said, 'Please pay attention to filling out the log,' but they never explained the changed method."

With the full enforcement of the rule requiring all visitors to be listed, business owners are on high alert. Some point out that sufficient guidance and promotion are needed not only for business owners but also for the general public.

The Changwon Small Business Association said, "There was no separate guideline from the city regarding the changed visitor log method," adding, "Unless business owners explicitly tell visitors to 'write down everyone,' the atmosphere is to write '0 plus 1 person.' Sometimes, busy business owners cannot pay attention to this."

They continued, "Imposing fines without properly promoting the changed log method is essentially shifting the responsibility for quarantine rules solely onto business owners. Local governments should prevent business owners from suffering damage by promoting the log method to citizens through notification messages."

A city official said, "Originally, it was the principle that all visitors to multi-use facilities should fill out the log, but there was an implicit tolerance for writing '0 plus 1 person.' Since full-scale inspections are starting, if there are businesses with insufficient awareness about handwritten log filling, we will immediately conduct on-site inspections and provide related guidance."

They added, "Related guidelines can be checked on the local government’s website or through basic quarantine rule posters."