Gyeonggi-do Intensifies Crackdown on Illegal Operations of Entertainment Bars... 124 Establishments Including Suwon Targeted

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province will intensively crack down on illegal business operations of general restaurants in the province from the 2nd to the 6th of next month to block the spread of COVID-19.

This is in response to reports that some establishments are illegally operating as entertainment bars after registering as general restaurants, thereby violating quarantine rules.

The Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police announced on the 29th that they will conduct an intensive crackdown on illegal business activities targeting 124 establishments in four areas?Suwon, Seongnam, Ansan, and Goyang?where there are many general restaurants with 7080 and live performance formats.

The main investigation points include ▲business operations that allow customers to sing by installing sound and accompaniment facilities ▲hiring entertainment hosts to entertain customers ▲violations of social distancing Level 4 quarantine rules, including the ban on gatherings of three or more people.

In the case of business operations that allow customers to sing by installing sound and accompaniment facilities, offenders are subject to imprisonment for up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million won under the Food Sanitation Act. Also, for violations of the ban on gatherings of three or more people, a fine of 1.5 million won will be imposed on the business operator, and 100,000 won on the users.

Yoon Tae-wan, head of the Special Judicial Police of the province, emphasized, "We plan to respond strongly with a zero-tolerance policy to violations of the Food Sanitation Act and the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act to establish fair business order and prevent the spread of COVID-19."