Despite the Implementation of 'Phased Daily Recovery'... Illegal Entertainment Venues Still Rampant

Police Crack Down on 39 Cases and 187 People in the Past Week
Total of 1,371 Cases and 10,527 People Monitored Since July
Secret Operations After Hours... Unauthorized Businesses Also Detected

Photo evidence of a crackdown on entertainment bars.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Following the phased recovery of daily life (With Corona) and the easing of restrictions on the closure of entertainment facilities, illegal entertainment establishments continue to be uncovered.

According to the National Police Agency on the 29th, 39 cases involving 187 people related to illegal entertainment facilities violating quarantine rules were detected during the week from the 22nd to the 28th of this month.

Since the start of the 4th wave of COVID-19 in July, the police have conducted large-scale crackdowns on illegal entertainment facilities, having so far inspected a total of 1,371 cases involving 10,527 people. By type, there were 956 cases involving 9,621 people violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, 69 cases involving 504 people violating the Food Sanitation Act, and 346 cases involving 402 people violating the Music Industry Act.

At around 1 a.m. on the 23rd, an entertainment bar in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, operating secretly as a small membership club, was raided, resulting in the arrest of 21 people including the owner and customers. Additionally, at 12:50 a.m. on the 26th, a karaoke bar in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, was raided for operating an unlicensed entertainment bar by employing five entertainment workers.

During the crackdown period, the police deployed a total of 49,964 officers and, in cooperation with local governments, inspected 129,775 entertainment establishments including clubs, entertainment bars, karaoke bars, colatecs, emotional bars, hunting pubs, and singing practice rooms.