As COVID-19 cases in South Korea have been spiking, new measures will be put in place. Starting on December 23rd, all gatherings of five or more people are banned in Seoul.

Local governments in the Seoul Metropolitan area, including Seoul City, Gyeonggi Province, and Incheon City, have decided to issue an administrative order to ban gatherings of more than five people. As a result, only groups of four or fewer people can be held in the Seoul metropolitan area for the time being.

The Seoul Metropolitan City, Gyeonggi Province, and Incheonji City local governments announced on December 21st that they will jointly implement the measures. The measures will start at midnight December 23rd KST until January 3rd of next year and apply to indoor and outdoor gatherings. 

As a result, alumni associations, clubs, picnics, year-end parties, work dinners, workshops, family gatherings, birthday celebrations will all be banned. However, weddings and funerals have been excluded, but the social distance guideline has been elevated to level 2.5 and will still apply. So weddings and funerals can be held, but less than 50 people are allowed to gather for such events.

Citizens caught violating the measures of no gatherings of five or more people will be punished. Local governments in the Seoul metropolitan area plan to sternly respond to any individual and business that violate the measures by imposing fines and taking administrative measures.

Under this executive order issued by each local government pursuant to Article 49 Clause 1 paragraph 2 of the Act on the Prevention and Management of Infected Diseases, individuals and businesses will be imposed fines, closure or suspension of facilities.

Anyone found to have violated this rule can be fined up to 3 million KRW (2,714 USD). In principle, all collective activities for the purpose of socializing, whether it be indoors or outdoors, are prohibited except in cases where the individuals cohabitating in the same residence, under the resident registration, such as family members. All gatherings include any private gatherings such as family gatherings, workplace gatherings, housewarming gatherings, birthday parties, and year-end parties.

Cases such as public duties of administrative and public institutions, management activities of enterprises, are exempt. This includes the production of broadcasting, movies, work at workplaces such as companies and factories, company meetings, labor-management meetings, parliamentary and government meetings, military training, and public support activities such as emergency fire safety inspection and training. 

Universities exams are allowed to hold examinations under the guidelines of having less than 50 students following the social distance guidelines.