Gyeonggi Province Issues Administrative Order Banning Gatherings of 5 or More Starting at Midnight on Dec. 23

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hoon] Gyeonggi Province has issued an administrative order banning all private indoor and outdoor gatherings of 5 or more people from midnight Dec. 23 through midnight Jan. 3 next year.

The ban on private gatherings of 5 or more represents a stricter measure than the 'ban on gatherings of 10 or more,' which is the quarantine guideline for Social Distancing Level 3, and will be implemented jointly with Seoul and Incheon.

Governor Lee Jae-myung held a press conference on Dec. 21, stating, "With confirmed case numbers surpassing and repeatedly reaching 1,000, and continuous large and small cluster infections in communities, not only Gyeonggi Province but all of South Korea is facing the worst crisis since the onset of COVID-19," and announced the implementation plan for emergency quarantine measures.

Governor Lee stated, "Gyeonggi Province has diagnosed that the main cause of unending community cluster infections is private gatherings, and has been formulating measures stronger than Level 3 social distancing," adding, "We concluded that the quarantine effect would inevitably be limited unless the Capital Area, which shares a single living sphere, maintains coordinated efforts. Following close consultation with Seoul and Incheon, we have prepared 'Capital Area Joint Private Gathering Restrictions Quarantine Guidelines.'"

Governor Lee previously sought public opinion on Dec. 17 through his social media, stating, 'We strongly recommend banning gatherings of 5 or more and would like to hear your views on issuing an administrative order.'

Governor Lee stated, "Since the Capital Area shares a single living sphere, the effect would be limited if we don't ban gatherings of 5 or more simultaneously with Seoul and Incheon. This makes it difficult for Gyeonggi Province alone to escalate its level, and escalation by Gyeonggi Province alone is not desirable, which is also the government's policy," proposing joint response. Accordingly, the province consulted with Seoul and Incheon on strengthened emergency quarantine measures and agreed to implement joint emergency measures on that day.

Under this measure, gatherings of 5 or more for private purposes are banned throughout the Capital Area during the relevant period, regardless of indoor or outdoor settings, with only gatherings of 4 or fewer permitted. All social activities aimed at fostering friendships, including clubs, year-end parties, workplace dinners, and housewarming parties, are subject to the ban. However, considering importance, weddings and funerals will maintain the Level 2.5 social distancing criteria (50 people or fewer permitted).

Governor Lee stated, "The decision was not easy given its significant impact on residents' lives, but strong measures are necessary to halt COVID-19's spread and break the chain of community transmission," adding, "We ask for your understanding and cooperation, recognizing that this is an unavoidable decision given the rapid surge in transmission cases through private gatherings in the community."

Governor Lee additionally announced separate emergency quarantine measures by the province, including operation of special residential treatment centers, preparing an administrative order for emergency mobilization of medical personnel at general hospital-level medical institutions, and deployment of firefighting and emergency medical personnel.

Governor Lee stated first, "Cases have occurred where symptoms worsen from mild to severe or even result in death while waiting at home, requiring appropriate response," and announced the operation of a 'Gyeonggi Province-style Special Residential Treatment Center' to prevent this.

The special residential treatment center serves as an intermediate stage between general residential treatment centers and infectious disease-dedicated medical institutions, featuring enhanced emergency medical response functions compared to standard residential treatment centers. The province expects that when the special residential treatment center becomes operational, it will be able to secure the golden hour for patients experiencing worsening conditions by constructing personnel and equipment capable of providing emergency treatment during emergencies and enabling transfer to higher-level medical facilities.

Gyeonggi Province currently has secured a closed hospital and plans to open the first special residential treatment center this week following facility improvements.

Governor Lee announced that he is preparing an administrative order for emergency mobilization of medical personnel at medical institutions.

Governor Lee stated, "While the situation is similar nationwide, Gyeonggi Province faces a more urgent need to resolve the shortage of medical personnel rather than hospital beds," adding, "We are expanding beds with the cooperation of several small and medium private hospitals, and we are gradually securing large facilities for residential treatment centers including Kyonggi University dormitories, but the supply of medical personnel has not kept pace with bed expansion."

He continued, "At this point, cooperation from private medical institutions is the only solution," and stated, "While we are requesting maximum voluntary cooperation from medical institutions, including conducting consultations with general hospital-level institutions regarding medical personnel support, we are also preparing for emergency mobilization of medical staff through administrative orders in rapidly developing situations."

Governor Lee stated, "In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures are required. Even if it entails some strain, we will pursue every possible means to protect residents' lives and community safety," appealing, "We ask healthcare professionals who can participate in the field to join in the fight against this infectious disease."

Governor Lee also announced plans to recruit firefighters currently employed or prospective firefighters awaiting training after passing the exam who hold nursing or emergency medical technician qualifications, separately from private medical personnel, to deploy them to COVID-19 quarantine efforts.

Governor Lee stated, "Recruited personnel will be prioritized for deployment at urgent sites experiencing difficulties due to medical personnel shortages, such as the Bucheon Hyop Plus Care Hospital where cluster infections recently occurred," adding, "With 40 medical and emergency personnel currently secured in the first phase to be deployed sequentially from Dec. 23, we plan to recruit additional second phase personnel during December."

The province has implemented measures to ensure no operational gaps in fire and emergency medical services for 119 rescue teams through flexible personnel deployment at each fire station and reorganization of emergency medical team personnel according to circumstances.

Governor Lee emphasized that along with these emergency quarantine measures, economic quarantine measures are necessary, and stressed to the government that disaster relief funds exceeding the scale of the first disaster relief fund are needed.

Governor Lee stated, "It is clear that COVID-19 is particularly harsh on micro small business owners," and said that the recently controversial 'forced rent reduction method transferring burden to landlords' is not desirable. "Damages caused by force majeure should be borne by the entire community, not passed on to neighbors."

He continued, "To overcome the current economic crisis, economic revitalization through increased sales through selective measures for specific sectors is not the fundamental solution. The current third wave, incomparable to the first crisis, requires economic quarantine measures that exceed the previous first disaster relief fund, and the method should be universal distribution of disappearing local currency targeting the entire population, not selective cash payments," he said.

He added, "We request the government's active review to maximize policy effectiveness with limited finances, and Gyeonggi Province will also pursue the best possible support measures."

Meanwhile, prior to introducing the emergency quarantine measures, Governor Lee stated, "It was thanks to the participation and sacrifice of provincial residents that we were able to overcome numerous hardships to reach today after the waves of the first and second waves," and said, "Nevertheless, I acknowledge that the third wave now before us is solely my responsibility as the highest quarantine official," and apologized.

Governor Lee continued, "I will dedicate myself further to COVID-19 quarantine with a heavy sense of responsibility," and stated, "To overcome a crisis situation akin to wartime, I urge residents' understanding and active cooperation."