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A restricted area in Seoul’s Yeoksam Station. (Yonhap News)

The public’s adherence to intensified social distancing practices over the past week has brought about clear changes, including a 39% decline in public transportation usage in Seoul compared to the same period last year. As restaurants and bars face restrictions on opening hours, convenience stores are seeing an increase in sales. With the Seoul Metropolitan Government extending the Level 2.5 social distancing regimen through Sept. 13, the “week of standstill” is poised to continue for the city’s 10 million residents.

On Sept. 6, acting Seoul Mayor Seo Jung-hyup said, “Since the implementation of intensified social distancing for the Seoul Capital Area [SCA] on Aug. 30, public transportation usage in the city of Seoul during this period has declined by 39.1% compared with the same period last year.”

“Through the extension of this 10 million-person week of standstill for another week and the expansion of some disease control measures, we will tighten the reins definitively on COVID-19’s spread,” he added. Bus and subway ridership rates were down by 37.3% and 40.7%, respectively.

With the adoption of the Level 2.5 social distancing regimen for the SCA, city buses will be continuing under reduced operation through Sept. 13. A total of 161,087 restaurants, general eateries, and bakeries in Seoul, along with 2,804 food tents, street stalls, and food trucks, will only be allowed to sell food for takeout and delivery between the hours of 9 pm and 5 am. Customers at 4,511 franchise coffee shops and 2,176 franchise bakeries and ice cream/shaved ice restaurants can only get items to go. A measure barring operation of some 10,477 after-school academies is also being extended. The city additionally announced that it was stepping up inspections and policing of residents flocking to the Han River parks and other public recreational settings.

With the consumption of food and beverages at restaurants banned after 9 pm, a rise was reported in convenience store sales over the same time period. Emart24 said, “An examination of sales by time of day for stores in the Greater Seoul area for the dates Sept. 1-3 following implementation of Level 2.5 social distancing showed a 23.3% rise for the period from 9 to 10 pm.” GS25 similarly reported that 9 pm sales for its Seoul stores between Aug. 31 and Sept. 3 were up by 27.1% from the week before.

By Seo Hye-mi and Park Su-ji, staff reporters

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