"Do All Small Business Owners Have to Suffer for Relief?"... 299 People’s Tearful Head-Shaving Ceremony

Demand for Full Compensation of Losses and Removal of Business Hour Restrictions

Self-employed individuals are shaving their heads near the National Assembly building in Yeouido, Seoul on the 25th.
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Yeeun] A self-employed business group, hit hard by the impact of COVID-19, held a collective head-shaving ceremony to condemn the government's COVID-19 quarantine measures.

The 'COVID-19 Affected Self-Employed General Solidarity' (Coja Solidarity), composed of nine small business organizations including the Korea Foodservice Industry Association, held a '299-Person Relay Head-Shaving Ceremony of Anger and Resistance' on the afternoon of the 25th in front of the National Assembly building in Yeouido, Seoul, stating, "Due to the endless extension of social distancing, self-employed people are experiencing extreme days without income repeatedly."

The event began with a moment of silence for about 50 self-employed individuals who took their own lives due to livelihood difficulties following the COVID-19 crisis.

During the event, 10 self-employed people first went up to the podium and shaved their heads collectively, followed by the rest of the attendees participating in the head-shaving in order. Some attendees showed tears during the head-shaving.

Self-employed individuals are shaving their heads near the National Assembly building in Yeouido, Seoul on the 25th. / Photo by Yonhap News

Min Sangheon, Coja Solidarity co-representative, who shaved his head first, raised his voice saying, "There is no longer any way to repay labor costs, rent, utility bills, and various loans," and "Does the government want all self-employed people to die to feel relieved?"

Attendees watching their hair being cut by electric clippers tightly closed their eyes or looked into the distance. Some showed tears. Song Mo (58), who runs an entertainment business in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, said, "How upset must one be to shave their head?" and criticized, "Compensation for losses in words only is not needed."

While the head-shaving ceremony was underway, the other attendees shouted slogans such as "All self-employed people are dying, government save us," and "We want to work, abolish time restrictions."

Coja Solidarity criticized that the COVID-19 quarantine measures place the burden solely on the self-employed. They urged the government to investigate and fully compensate the direct and indirect losses of self-employed people caused by the quarantine measures and to abolish business hour restrictions and disclose related plans.

They also warned that if the government does not accept their demands, they will increase the scale of the rallies. Oh Hoseok, Coja Solidarity co-representative, stated, "Around February 10, we will hold a large-scale rally in solidarity not only with small business owners and the self-employed but also with all groups affected by the government's quarantine policies."