SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS HOLD PROTEST

[Anchor Lead]

Since level 4 social distancing measures were enforced, there were noticeably fewer people out on the street in the after-work hours. In Seoul small business owners held a late-night protest in their vehicles against the government’s disease control measures.

[Pkg]

Daehangno area in central Seoul. It's midnight but a stream of vehicles move slowly with their lights blinking. The protest by self-employed businessmen is waged against the government’s toughened social distancing measures in the capital area that essentially ban gatherings after six p.m.

[Soundbite] Park Jin-sil(Coin singing room owner) : "Our sales have fallen by half since the pandemic. After level 4 measures were announced, sales were halved again. I can’t pay the monthly rent."

The business owners demand the removal of the operating hour and gathering size restrictions. They also called for the disease control regulations to be changed to allow them to take responsible measures on their own. They also asked the government to promptly provide compensation for losses incurred due to the restrictions.

[Soundbite] Kim Ki-hong(Emergency Countermeasures Committee for Nationwide Business Owners) : "Stop the COVID-19 control measures that hurt business owners. I’m asking you to save us. Self-employed businessmen are Koreans too!"

Police defined this protest as an unreported illegal assembly. As level 4 social distancing measures were enforced in the capital region, all events and assemblies are banned except for one-person protests.

[Soundbite] (Police Official) : "It’s an unreported illegal assembly that shouldn’t have taken place as dictated by the Act on the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention. Even though they’re in their vehicles, it’s still considered an illegal assembly."

Police set up dozens of checkpoints in the city to stop the demonstration, which led to skirmishes with the drivers.

[Soundbite] (Driver) : "Why are you doing this? Did I commit a crime?"

Law enforcement authorities are looking into arresting the protest organizers and participants for violating the Assembly and Demonstration Act.