Police Conduct Special Crackdown on Illegal Entertainment Venues in 'Quarantine Blind Spots'... 938 People Caught in One Week

Stock photo of an entertainment district.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Police, who launched inspections on illegal entertainment facilities placed in the 'blind spots of quarantine,' have caught over 900 violators of quarantine rules within a week.

According to the National Police Agency on the 12th, from the 3rd to the 11th of this month, police deployed 3,267 officers and conducted joint inspections with local governments on 8,107 entertainment facilities nationwide. During this process, 133 cases of illegal activities including violations of quarantine guidelines and 938 individuals were caught.

By type, there were 80 cases involving violations of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act including quarantine rule violations affecting 742 people, 10 cases violating the Food Sanitation Act involving 150 people, and 43 cases violating the Music Industry Act involving 46 people.

In Seoul, on the 6th at around 11:10 p.m., 50 people including the owner and customers were caught operating an entertainment bar in Gangnam-gu with the door locked and serving only reserved guests. On the same day, 25 people including the owner and employees were caught secretly operating an entertainment bar with the sign lights turned off in Michuhol-gu, Incheon.

Also, at 12:10 a.m. on the 10th, 52 people including the owner were caught operating an unlicensed entertainment bar by employing 20 entertainment workers at a general restaurant in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

The police are promoting a 'Special Crackdown on Illegal Operations of Entertainment Facilities' until the 15th of this month to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The main targets of the crackdown are ▲reopening of violating businesses ▲unlicensed operations ▲violations of assembly ban orders ▲violations of quarantine rules such as operating hour restrictions and failure to prepare electronic entry logs ▲illegal operations of singing practice rooms.