"Preventing Both Hidden Cameras and Viruses" ... Gyeongbuk Province Takes Care of Public Restrooms During Lunar New Year Holiday

Strengthened COVID-19 Special Quarantine Measures, Safety and Convenience Plans for Returning Visitors, Cleanliness and Crime Prevention

Gyeongbuk Provincial Government Office. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Gyeongbuk Province has announced measures for ‘public restrooms,’ essential convenience facilities for holiday travelers during the Lunar New Year holiday.

On the 21st, Gyeongbuk Province stated that, marking the second Lunar New Year holiday since the outbreak of COVID-19, it will implement ‘Public Restroom Safety and Convenience Measures’ to ensure that travelers visiting their hometowns can use safe and clean restrooms.

The special measures period began on the 17th and will continue until February 6, when the holiday ends.

Public restrooms located at transportation facilities such as highway rest areas, train stations, bus terminals, and ferry terminals, as well as traditional markets and tourist sites, where an increase in users is expected, will be the focus of intensive inspections.

To respond to COVID-19, compliance with detailed guidelines for ‘social distancing in daily life’ in public restrooms will be checked to promote measures preventing diseases and infectious diseases.

Measures to enhance user convenience, such as hygiene, cleanliness, and provision of convenience items in public restrooms due to increased users, will also be reviewed.

Additionally, crime and safety accident prevention measures will be inspected, including checking the normal operation of emergency bells and warning lights in vulnerable restrooms such as women’s restrooms, the presence of illegal filming cameras, and inspections of restrooms for the disabled.

Regarding COVID-19, a person responsible for disinfection and quarantine management of public restrooms will be designated, and focused inspections will be conducted on disinfection and quarantine, 2-meter queue spacing markings at restroom entrances, and posting of public restroom usage guidelines.

Choi Young-sook, Director of the Environment, Forestry, and Resources Bureau of Gyeongbuk Province, said, “We will strive to ensure that holiday travelers can use public restrooms safely during the holiday and reduce the spread of infectious diseases through quarantine and facility inspections.”