2단계 거리두기, 유흥5종 집함 금지 및 식당 밤 9시 이후 테이크아웃 배달만<br /><br />Our top story this morning.<br />As of the stroke of midnight, the Greater Seoul area raised its COVID-19 prevention measures to the third highest level on its five-tier scheme: Level 2.<br />The aim is to limit the time people spend in crowded public places and to prevent large gatherings, which have been a major source of infections.<br />Bars and clubs have to close, and there are restrictions on cafes and restaurants.<br />Kim Do-yeon reports. Level Two social distancing,... the third-highest in South Korea's five-tier scheme.<br />Five-types of night-life venues will be subject to bans on gatherings.<br />Singing rooms... must be closed after 9 PM.<br />Restaurants can invite customers to sit-in until 9 PM, but can only provide take-out and delivery afterwards.<br />Wedding and funeral venues will not be able to have 100 people or more in at the same time.<br />Religious activities... less than 20 percent of capacity allowed.<br />Theaters and concert halls are required to sit audience members apart from one another with food consumption strictly prohibited.<br />Indoor sports facilities are required to halt operations after 9 PM.<br />One major change from the second wave in August in the capital area is the cafes.<br />"Once the level 2 distancing measures start, cafes will only be able to provide takeout services, and this time local, non-franchise cafes are not exempt from the measures."<br />For independent cafe operators, the next two weeks could be especially tough.<br />"For independent cafes like us that are not focused on take-out, customers like to sit in and enjoy their coffee while talking... so the impact will be huge."<br />Meanwhile, PC rooms with partitions will NOT be required to sit their customers apart and will also be able to serve food.<br />"Previously, for the couple seats we didn't have partitions... and only had short glass screens. But with COVID-19 and the social distancing situation, we installed partitions at all seats."<br />A "one strike rule" could halt business operations for just one violation... with a fine of up to around 3 million Korean Won, or around 2-thousand 7-hundred U.S. dollars.<br />Kindergartens, primary schools and middle schools will have to keep their attendance cap at one-third ,... while high schools will be limited to two-thirds.<br />Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.<br /><br />
