The Seoul government decided to temporarily ban holding mass rallies in the city due to the threat of spreading the new coronavirus, the South Korean capital's mayor, Park Won-soon, said on Friday
SEOUL (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st February, 2020) The Seoul government decided to temporarily ban holding mass rallies in the city due to the threat of spreading the new coronavirus, the South Korean capital's mayor, Park Won-soon, said on Friday.
"We are planning to ban rallies in Seoul Square, Gwanghwamun Plaza and Cheonggye Plaza to protect the elderly who are most prone to infectious diseases ... Those who violate this measure may be fined up to 3 million won [$2,500]," Park said.
The mayor added that the decision was based on the local law on healthcare, which allows banning rallies or big events for reasons of protecting public health.
South Korea has seen a wave of public discontent in recent months caused by the appointment of Cho Guk as the country's justice minister, and people demanded president Moon-Jae-In's resignation. Opposition parties have been rallying almost every weekend in Seoul's major squares.
Park also noted that the Shincheonji Churches of Jesus would be closed, as more than half of the 156 coronavirus cases countrywide have been detected in the church in Daegu.
Health Minister Chung Sye-kyun declared Daegu and the surrounding regions to be "special care zones," as cases in the country have jumped by 50 percent overnight � by 52 cases.
South Korea announced its first death from the coronavirus on Thursday in the Cheongdo area, while reports emerged of a woman at a church service in Daegu infecting nearly 40 people, making her the most prolific spreader known so far.
The novel coronavirus disease, dubbed COVID-19 by the World Health Organization (WHO), was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan, located in the Hubei province, in late December and has since spread to more than 25 other countries. The outbreak has already left over 76,000 people infected worldwide and resulted in more than 2,200 fatalities.
