(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Seong-ho Lim = Self-employed workers showed fatigue when the government decided to extend the current social distancing step (2.5 steps in the metropolitan area, 2 steps in the non-metropolitan area) and quarantine measures for two weeks until the Lunar New Year holiday.
As quarantine measures such as banning private gatherings for more than 5 people and restricting business operations after 9 PM continued, they were worried that sales would be hit ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays.
Kim Mo (55), who runs a bar in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, said, “There are a lot of customers visiting the bar late at night or early in the morning, but it is frustrating because the 9 o’clock limit continues,” he said. “I have been in the delivery and packaging business after 9 o’clock. “It’s hard to give a salary for an Alba student.”
Park Mo (64), who runs a meat restaurant near Konkuk University Station in Gwangjin-gu, also sighed when he heard the word’extending social distancing’. Mr. Park said, “I can’t do business, but the 9 o’clock limit is still there, and because of the limit of’more than 5 people’, dinner guests can’t even dream.”
Karaoke owners who have to close after 9 o’clock for two more weeks are also crying out.
Seungmo (52), who plays karaoke near Konkuk University Station, said, “Isn’t you saying that you should close your business. Karaoke is actually open from 9 o’clock, but these days, there are no customers other than a few teams in the early evening,” he said.
Small and medium-sized self-employed people such as billiards and PC cafes also protested against the government announcement.
The Korea Billiards Stadium Association issued a statement on the day and said, “This is a measure that makes it practically impossible to operate indoor sports facilities such as billiards, bowling alleys, etc.” “I urged.
The National Federation of PC Cafe Countermeasures also said in a statement, “PC cafes have been in debt for one year and have followed the guidelines for quarantine, but the compensation for losses has not been properly paid. The government’s business, which violates the constitutional property rights and destroys the right to live. “We can’t follow the regulations.”
However, some self-employed people acknowledged that social distancing is necessary to calm the spreading tax, but emphasized that the government should actively support self-employed people.
Kim Mo (38), president of Naengmyeon House in Sadang-dong, Dongjak-gu, said, “It seems that the spreading trend will be caught to some extent if distance is maintained until the holiday season. I hope the government will systematically institutionalize support for small businesses rather than just giving temporary corona subsidies. “He said.
Lee Mo, 47, who runs an octopus restaurant in Mugyo-dong, Jung-gu, said, “It’s okay to endure two more weeks, but I’m afraid that another two weeks will be extended after that, so’Hope Advisor’ is difficult.” “I don’t have a living,” he complained.
Citizens agreed that extending social distancing is an inevitable measure for quarantine.
Housewife Jung Mo (53) said, “Even though the game is difficult, where is more important than life?”
Aunt, 62, a taxi driver also said, “Personally, it’s a pity that I still can’t pick up a lot of customers after 9 o’clock, but I think it’s right to follow it because the experts decided.”
There are signs that the third pandemic, which had been slowing down for a while, has spread in missions and hospitals, and the threat of the mutant virus from Britain and South Africa has not subsided.
Jeon Mo (31), an office worker living in Mapo-gu, Seoul, said, “The spread tax does not decrease and the mutant virus is not at a level of relief, but the ban on meetings with more than 5 people helped to reduce the number of confirmed patients.” “It’s time to do it.”