Sogongyeon Postpones 'National Self-Employed Workers General Rally'... "Business Regulations Must Be Abolished"

Sogongyeon and Self-Employed Emergency Committee Issue Joint Statement... "Partial Acceptance of Quarantine Measures"
Nationwide Self-Employed Rally Scheduled for the 20th Postponed... Suggests Possibility of Resumption

On the 6th, the streets of Myeongdong, Seoul, appeared to have lost their vitality due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum stated at the Cabinet meeting that day regarding the compensation system for small business owners affected by COVID-19 quarantine measures, "We will ensure that small business owners can receive compensation by the end of this month at the latest." However, he added, "The compensation targets are losses directly caused by quarantine measures such as gathering bans and business hour restrictions enacted after the law was promulgated on July 7. Unfortunately, losses incurred before that date and indirect losses are not covered, so it may fall short of the expectations of small business owners." / Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Junhyung Lee] As the government partially eased COVID-19 quarantine measures, small business owners postponed the 'National Self-Employed General Rally' scheduled for the 20th of this month. However, they also indicated the possibility of resuming the rally in accordance with the government's phased return to normal life measures.

The Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business and the National Emergency Committee of Self-Employed jointly stated, "We will lift the tent protest at Gwanghwamun that lasted for nine days," and "at the same time, we will postpone the National Self-Employed General Rally scheduled for the 20th of this month." The Federation said, "We partially accept the government's social distancing easing measures announced on the 15th," and added, "We strongly demand the removal of business restrictions as some insufficient measures are resolved in the phased return to normal life starting next month."

The Federation noted, "There has been considerable distrust accumulated as the demands of small business owners, who have actively cooperated in the government's quarantine measures, were not properly reflected," but added, "However, through sincere communication with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and related ministries, including the Minister of SMEs and Startups, a significant trust foundation has been established." They continued, "Since the return to normal life is a policy based on the safety of the people, we made this final decision reflecting concerns that the rally might delay the return to normal life and thus postpone the recovery of damages for small business owners and the self-employed."

They left room for resuming the rally. The Federation stated, "If the phased return to normal life measures scheduled to be implemented from early next month do not meet the demands of the Federation and the Self-Employed Emergency Committee, we plan to gather opinions from allied organizations to decide whether to resume the rally." They also said, "The Federation and the Self-Employed Emergency Committee will continue the struggle for survival rights to ensure that the voices of small business owners and the self-employed are reflected."