Gimhae City Catches 8 Singing Practice Venues Violating Quarantine Rules

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Sang-hyun] Gimhae City, Gyeongnam Province, announced on the 7th that it has conducted intensive inspections of singing practice rooms to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) and has caught eight businesses violating related laws.

Following the recent occurrence of confirmed cases originating from singing practice rooms, the city has deployed 149 personnel in 51 teams since the 3rd to conduct intensive inspections of all singing practice rooms throughout the area.

As of this day, two establishments selling or providing alcoholic beverages, two establishments permitting the bringing in of alcohol, and three establishments storing alcohol were administratively sanctioned according to relevant laws. One establishment that violated the ban on gatherings of five or more people was fined 1.5 million KRW.

The inspection teams will continue to monitor alcohol storage inside singing practice rooms, alcohol sales and provision, permitting users to bring in alcohol, employment or mediation of hostesses, and compliance with social distancing level 1.5 administrative orders, including the prohibition of food consumption (excluding water and non-alcoholic beverages) and the ban on private gatherings of five or more people.

If quarantine guidelines are violated, business operators may be fined up to 3 million KRW, and individuals up to 100,000 KRW. If core quarantine rule violations are detected within a business, a closure order may be issued.

Furthermore, businesses or individuals where confirmed COVID-19 cases have occurred and who receive penalties or administrative sanctions for violating quarantine rules will be excluded from disaster relief fund support. Those under self-quarantine or confirmed cases who are fined for quarantine violations will also be excluded from living support funds.

In addition, if the degree of quarantine violations is serious and has caused a cluster infection, the city plans to claim compensation for response costs and medical expenses for confirmed cases.

Mayor Heo Seong-gon stated, "We will strongly respond to quarantine rule violations that threaten the lives and safety of citizens, and to overcome COVID-19, the cooperation of all citizens is urgently needed, so we ask everyone to strictly comply."