"Business Cut Off for 10 Months, Save Us"… Entertainment Business Owners Take to the Streets Again

Korean Entertainment Food Industry Central Association Gyeonggi·Incheon Branch Protest in Seoul
Owners "5 Members Took Extreme Measures After 10 Months of No Business"
Prolonged Business Restrictions Lead to Increasing Cases of Secret Operations

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] Entertainment facility owners, whose livelihoods were cut off by the gathering ban orders during the COVID-19 situation, have once again taken to the streets.

The Korea Entertainment Food Service Central Association Gyeonggi·Incheon Branch gathered on the 10th in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, to hold a protest demanding the lifting of business restrictions. About 160 members from 18 branches of the Korea Entertainment Food Service Central Association Gyeonggi Branch and members of the Incheon Branch participated in this protest. They gathered in front of the LG Twin Towers in Yeouido from 1 p.m., held a press conference demanding the lifting of business restrictions, and marched in groups of nine to the Blue House.

They claimed, "Since the government’s gathering ban order was strengthened in March last year due to COVID-19 prevention measures, we have been unable to operate for a full 10 months," adding, "As a result, more than 90% of entertainment business owners, who are small-scale livelihood operators, are facing miserable situations such as eviction lawsuits from building owners."

They further added, "Five members, unable to endure severe financial hardship such as months of unpaid rent and utility bills due to no income, have even taken extreme measures."

They emphasized, "With the gathering ban imposed on entertainment pubs, illegal similar entertainment establishments are also being legitimized," and stressed, "The gathering ban must be lifted as soon as possible to allow business operations, and the Loss Compensation Act must pass through the National Assembly." Earlier, some entertainment facility owners in the Incheon area also expressed their intention to continue operating in defiance of the gathering ban starting from this day.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Since the gathering ban recommendation order in March last year, entertainment facilities have been subject to several business restriction measures over about a year. Currently, entertainment facility operations in the metropolitan area including Seoul, Gyeonggi, Incheon, and Busan are completely suspended.

As the business suspension situation prolongs, cases of 'secret operations' have been increasing. According to the National Police Agency, from the 5th of last month until the day before yesterday, police deployed 12,647 officers and jointly inspected 42,137 entertainment facilities nationwide with 3,200 local government personnel. As a result, 670 cases and 2,785 people were caught violating quarantine guidelines such as the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act and the Food Sanitation Act. By type, violations of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act accounted for 388 cases and 3,317 people, Food Sanitation Act violations 39 cases and 181 people, Music Industry Act violations 242 cases and 295 people, and Punishment of Prostitution Act violations 1 case and 15 people.

Yesterday, 42 people including the owner and customers were caught violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act at an entertainment pub in Seocho-gu, Seoul, which was operating with the door locked. The police responded to a report that "the entertainment pub was picking up customers in the underground parking lot and letting them in," confirmed the ongoing operation upon arrival, and conducted a crackdown together with fire authorities and district office staff. On the same day in the afternoon, 26 people including the owner and customers were caught violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act at a live cafe in Jamsil-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, which was secretly operating.