From July, Restaurants, Karaoke Rooms, and Entertainment Venues in the Seoul Metropolitan Area Will Stay Open Until Midnight

'July Introduction' Social Distancing Revision Phase 2
Restaurants and Entertainment Venues Restricted to 'Midnight' Operation
No Operating Hour Limits for Other Facilities

Private Gathering Ban Also Likely to Be 'Eased'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] Starting next month, restaurants, cafes, singing rooms, and entertainment facilities in the metropolitan area will be allowed to operate until midnight. Other facilities will no longer have operating hour restrictions.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced regarding the revised social distancing measures to be implemented from July, "Under the new level 2 social distancing, restaurants, cafes, singing rooms, and entertainment facilities will have an operating restriction until '24:00' (midnight), while other facilities will have no operating hour restrictions." The ministry decided to introduce a new social distancing revision focusing on sustainability as social fatigue over existing distancing and business restrictions has increased due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation.

According to the previously released draft of the revision, the current five-level social distancing system will be simplified to four levels. Business restrictions on multi-use facilities will also be minimized compared to before. The detailed contents of the revision to be actually introduced from next month are expected to be disclosed within this month.

In the metropolitan area, even after applying the revision, level 2 social distancing is expected to be applied as it is now. However, currently, restaurants, cafes, and entertainment facilities are only allowed to operate until 22:00, but under the new system, they will be able to operate for two more hours until midnight. In the originally announced draft revision, there were no operating hour restrictions at level 2. It is interpreted that the health authorities made some adjustments during subsequent discussions, judging that concerns about COVID-19 still remain.

In non-metropolitan areas where level 1.5 social distancing measures are currently applied, there are already no operating hour restrictions for all facilities except visitor centers.

Along with social distancing, the ban on private gatherings of five or more people, considered a key quarantine measure by health authorities, is also likely to be slightly eased. On the 6th, Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, hinted during a briefing that "even if the criteria for private gatherings expand to eight people under the new social distancing system from July, the principle will be maintained," suggesting that the existing number criterion may change from '5 or more' to '9 or more.'

According to the draft, the ban on private gatherings is set as follows: at level 4, 'no gatherings of 3 or more people after 18:00'; at level 2, 'no gatherings of 9 or more people'; and at level 1, no restrictions on gatherings.