On the 17th, Deputy Mayor Chae Hong-ho of Daegu City is giving a briefing on the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) in Daegu. Photo Daegu City
The business hours of some businesses, such as restaurants and cafes, which Daegu City had previously set until 11 pm, have been reduced to 9 pm. On the 16th, it has been one day after the announcement of a plan to implement social distancing to prevent the spread of a novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19), which is different from the government proposal.
Previously, Daegu City set it to 11 pm, unlike the government’s policy to adjust the social distancing stage from 5 am to 9 pm. In addition, among the five entertainment facilities, club and night-type entertainment bars and colatechs, which are highly concerned about personal contact and spread of droplets, maintained a ban on gatherings, but for other entertainment facilities, the ban was lifted and allowed to operate until 11 pm. Daegu City explained that, taking into account the increasing economic difficulties of small business owners and self-employed in the region, the local government has eased the business hours restrictions at its discretion.
However, on the 17th, the government expressed regret for Daegu City’s independent social distancing policy. At a regular briefing, Sohn Young-rae, head of the social strategy team at the Central Accident Control Headquarters, said, “The Daegu City action was a measure without prior consultation.” At the Central Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting, a lot of local governments raised issues about this.
Sohn said, “If it is expanded to 11 p.m., living areas such as Gyeongsangbuk-do will be affected in neighboring places.” When making such a decision, we asked for prior consultations with at least local governments in the same area, but the decision did not proceed. done. It was decided without much prior discussion with the script.”
If the whole country does not uniformly limit business hours and extended operation is possible in some areas, there is a possibility that people will flock to less regulated areas. It was once controversial as there were some who left the’expedition’ to an area where business bans such as entertainment bars were not made.
In this regard, the city of Daegu said, “The standard rules for each facility according to the distance-determining stage are a matter determined in accordance with the guidelines of the heavy water copy that the head of the local government can be adjusted according to the local situation, and the city of Daegu has faithfully followed the cooperative matters required by the original heavy water copy.” He expressed a strong regret for the government’s criticism that it violated prior consultation procedures and eased social distancing.
Previously, Gyeongju City, Gyeongsangbuk-do, like Daegu City, increased the business ban for many industries from 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm and immediately canceled it. The city of Gyeongju distributed a press release about ’11 pm extension’ at around 3:30 pm on the same day, and then distributed a press release about the readjustment at about 6 pm after about 2 hours and 30 minutes.
It is feared that local self-employed and small business owners will also experience confusion as the social distancing adjustment policy, which is applied from 0 o’clock on the 18th, ends in an actual happening just a few hours ahead.
Daegu = Reporter Kim Jeong-seok
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