"Any Problem with Individual Tent Life?"
Nomask Group Occupying the Campsite
On the 31st, the third weekend after the implementation of Level 4 social distancing in the Seoul metropolitan area, an auto camping site in Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon Province was filled with tents set up by campers. Photo by Byungdon Yoo tamond@
[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] “Since we can hardly meet anyone outside of family anyway, we came out to enjoy the vacation and get some fresh air with the family.”
“I was surprised by how many people there were, but since everyone set up their own tents and lived separately, there’s not much to worry about.”
On the 31st, the third weekend after the implementation of Level 4 social distancing in the Seoul metropolitan area, an auto camping site in Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon Province was busy. From around noon, vehicles lined up one after another, each with 3 to 4 campers who set up their tents. Most campers were families of 3 to 4 members, but there were also places where 6 to 10 people set up two tents side by side.
Until about 1 to 2 p.m., there were some vacant spots here and there, but after 4 p.m., tents were set up at every site. A camping site official explained, “Maybe because it’s vacation season, all sites were fully booked ten days ago,” adding, “The same goes for next weekend, and these days, even on weekdays, the reservation rate exceeds 80%.”
Visitors continue to flock to camping sites during the vacation season. While it seems to be an attempt to bring some change to the tiring daily life due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, some camping sites are not properly following quarantine guidelines, raising concerns that they could become another hotspot for cluster infections.
In fact, at the Yeongwol camping site that day, most campers were enjoying camping without wearing masks at all. Although they initially wore masks, the intense heat exceeding 35 degrees Celsius made them unable to bear the sweat while setting up tents, leading many to take off their masks.
On the 31st, the third weekend since the implementation of Level 4 social distancing measures in the Seoul metropolitan area, an auto camping site in Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon Province was filled with tents set up by campers. Photo by Byungdon Yoo tamond@
The no-mask behavior of campers was not limited to their own tent spaces but extended to shared areas such as restrooms and shower rooms. It was also easy to find people without masks in the shared kitchen where dishes were washed. However, no camping staff were seen enforcing mask-wearing.
Unlike the Seoul metropolitan area, where Level 4 social distancing is applied, Level 2 was in effect here, so it was common to see groups of 4 to 5 people dining together at one spot. Campers gathered in small groups, watching Olympic games on tablets or portable TVs, laughing and chatting?naturally without masks.
Jeong Hyun-gi (43), a camper from Seoul, said, “Since the kids can’t properly attend school and feel frustrated, we came camping with a friend’s family,” adding, “Since we can’t meet anyone even in Seoul, I plan to take a week off and stay here.”
The situation was similar at another camping site in Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi Province, on the same day. Campers filled the site, enjoying water play without masks or with masks worn under the chin. Some campers dining in groups of six were reprimanded by staff, but as soon as the staff left, they merged their seats again and continued their lively gathering.
The usual “manner time” (a designated time for tidying up and going to bed to allow other campers to sleep) was also disregarded. People drank and talked past midnight, and some even argued among themselves, causing discomfort to other campers. It was truly a COVID-19 free zone.
On the afternoon of the 1st, the third weekend since the implementation of Level 4 social distancing in the Seoul metropolitan area, the Yeoju Rest Area on the Seoul-bound side of the Yeongdong Expressway was filled with vacationers' vehicles./Photo by Yoo Byung-don tamond@
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