RESTRICTIONS CONTINUE IN SEOUL

[Anchor Lead]

Although the daily number of coronavirus cases in Korea are on a downward trend, the 9 p.m. curfew is still in place for businesses in the greater Seoul area. Quarantine authorities will decide whether or not to extend business hours based on the number of Covid cases this week.

[Pkg]

​Nine days after the first case of COVID-19 was reported at a restaurant in Gwangjin-gu District of Seoul, the outbreak has snowballed to 59 cases. Its apparent cause is a violation of safety rules. It's been found that some of the restaurant customers moved around without masks. From now on, facilities that are found during epidemiological investigations, even belatedly, to have broken the mask rule can be subject to a 100,000-won fine. Quarantine authorities say businesses and places where infections occur can be subject to a fine if they are found to have violated the mask mandate. Authorities are also in a dilemma over the 9 p.m. curfew for businesses in the greater Seoul area.

[Soundbite] Chang Ye-il(Restaurant staff) : "We only have customers until dinner time. Those who visit our venue at 8 p.m. try to finish eating as quickly as possible."

Quarantine authorities say it was an inevitable decision, and they will decide on February 13 whether to allow businesses to extend their operating hours based on the number of daily coronavirus cases in the nation.

[Soundbite] Jeon Hae-cheol(Minister of the Interior and Safety) : "The level of social distancing measures will depend on whether the situation is brought under control during the Lunar New Year holidays. We urge the public to cooperate."

Three more variant cases have been reported in the nation, bringing the total number to 54. Starting from February 22, all travelers from African nations will be mandated to submit negative PCR test results upon arrival in Korea and undergo additional testing in the country.