Cluster Infection at Namchangwon Nonghyup: "We Paid the Fine but Cannot Accept Business Suspension"... Court Agrees

Regarding Namchangwon Nonghyup Mart continuing to operate for three days while hiding the fact that COVID-19 cases were pouring in, Baek Seung-jo, the head of Namchangwon Nonghyup, is making a deep bow to apologize to the public.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Ju Cheol-in] Changwon City, Gyeongnam Province, imposed a 10-day business suspension on Namchangwon Nonghyup on the 10th, holding it responsible for the outbreak of a COVID-19 cluster infection. Meanwhile, the Nonghyup filed a request to suspend the execution of the suspension, which the court accepted.

On the 17th, the Changwon District Court announced that it had granted Namchangwon Nonghyup's request for suspension of execution against the mayor of Changwon.

The court explained, "If the business suspension order is executed, it may cause irreparable damage to the applicant, and to prevent this, there is an urgent need to suspend the execution of the business suspension order."

It added, "There is no evidence to recognize that the suspension of execution would cause serious harm to the public welfare."

The suspension period for the execution of the business suspension order is until the 14th day from the date of the main case judgment.

Recently, the city confirmed that Nonghyup violated quarantine rules by hiding the fact that COVID-19 confirmed cases were occurring consecutively within the mart and continuing business, which led to a cluster infection. As a result, it imposed a 10-day business suspension from the 22nd to October 1st.

Namchangwon Nonghyup paid about 18 million won after receiving a 20% reduction for voluntary payment earlier this month regarding the fine imposed by Changwon City.

Although the Nonghyup paid the full fine, it filed a request for suspension of execution and a main lawsuit to cancel the business suspension order, arguing that the suspension was too excessive to accept.

Meanwhile, Changwon City announced its intention to claim damages, stating that it confirmed 15 cases of quarantine rule violations by Namchangwon Nonghyup. The cumulative number of confirmed cases related to the Namchangwon Nonghyup mart has been counted at 73 so far.