Notice

Ban on Private Gatherings of 5 or More People [Seoul Metropolitan City]

  • admin
  • 2021-01-11
  • 4402

○ Why ban private gatherings of 5 or more people?

- Despite of citizens’ social distancing practices, daily infections continue to spread through private meetings with family, acquaintances and colleagues, so it is necessary to prevent infection in during the year-end and New Year holidays.
 
○ What is the content of the ‘Administrative order prohibiting private gatherings of 5 or more people’?
- Residents and visitors from all regions of Seoul and Incheon Metropolitan City, and Gyeonggi-do Province
- Prohibiting all situations where 5 or more people gather at the same time for private purposes such as socializing in the same place regardless of indoors or outdoors
* Reunions, clubs, outings, year-end parties, New Year's parties, online cafe gatherings, workplace banquets, workshops, housewarming, first birthday parties, 60th and 70th birthdays, as well as any private gatherings with similar characteristics are prohibited.
 
※ Exceptional situations
- Gatherings of direct family(grandparents, parents, children) or has the same address in resident registration
(However, the family should have proof document as family, and non-direct family members such as uncles, aunties, etc. are not subject to the exception).
- Unavoidable situation due to the public performance of duties of administrative and public institutions, business activities, etc.
- Situations where cancellation or postponement is impossible due to a fixed deadline or time limit, such as a test or family event*.
* Not more than 50 people in wedding occasion, not more than 30 people in funeral occasion (not more the 50 people in Incheon, Gyeonggi-do Province)
 
○ When will it start and how long will it lasts?
- It will start on 00:00 of December 23rd (Wed) until January 3rd (Sun), about 2 weeks
 
○ How does it apply to multi-use facilities such as restaurants?
- Multi-use facilities can be operated at the current social distancing level 2.5*, but users of the facilities must keep the 'no private gatherings of 5 or more people' rule
* Multi-use facilities level 2.5: Prohibition of gathering of central management facilities such as karaoke bars and indoor performance halls, suspension of operation after 21:00 of general management facilities such as restaurants, prohibition of meetings 50 or more people, restrictions on the number of people to less than 20 for religious activities, etc.

 
○ What are the punishments upon violation?
○ If it is confirmed that the spread was occurred upon having ‘private gathering of 5 or more people’ through a special inspection at the end of the year and the epidemiological investigation on the occurrence of confirmed persons, a fine of up to KRW 3 million and impose penalties, a claim for indemnity, etc.

 

Source: http://global.seoul.go.kr/user.do?menu_id=0301000000&site_code=2101&article_seq=22955&mode=view

Details and FAQ: http://english.seoul.go.kr/nationwide-ban-on-private-gatherings-of-5-or-more-people/?cat=1009