Seoul city to extend ban on rallies of 10 or more in antivirus measure

SEOUL, Sep 14, 2020, Yonhap. The Seoul city government on Monday announced a plan to extend a ban on rallies of 10 or more people to next month in line with the country’s continued fight against the new coronavirus, The Korea Herald reported.

South Korea also eased enhanced antivirus curbs that had been in place in the capital area Monday. For the next two weeks, eateries are permitted to operate normally as long as they strictly follow certain measures, such as keeping entry logs and abiding by sanitary rules.

The government, however, said it will set the two weeks starting Sept. 28 as a special period for strong nationwide antivirus efforts since early October is expected to be “the biggest challenge” to curbing COVID-19 cases in the second half of the year.

The city’s decision to extend the ban on rallies to midnight on Oct. 11 is in line with the designation of the special period.

The ban on rallies was first imposed on Aug. 21 after mass anti-government rallies held earlier in the month in central Seoul were held accountable for hundreds of infections and chain transmissions across the country.

The city government, meanwhile, announced it will be easing part of its antivirus curbs in line with the government’s latest decision to weaken the Level 2.5 social distancing guidelines to Level 2 until Sept. 28.

Under the move, buses that have been running on reduced schedules after 9 p.m. will return to normal, while a restriction on parking lots and stores and cafes at parks alongside the Han River will also be lifted. (Yonhap)