After blocking the Han River Park, go to the square … ‘Balloon Effect’ at midnight in late summer

The city’s parks and squares were ‘busy’ after controlling the main parks on the Han River
Concern about provoking the quarantine crisis for shareholders on a summer night

[아시아경제 유병돈 기자] A small square in Munjeong-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul at 9 pm on the 8th. Citizens began to gather one by one, and it suddenly filled with crowds without any space. In the hands of the citizens who settled for three, three, five, a plastic bag of beer cans was held. The place where someone got up was quickly filled with other people until after midnight.

The ‘balloon effect’ is appearing as citizens move to small parks and squares in various places in the city, as access to Hangang Park becomes difficult after the government’s 2.5 social distancing step. The Han River park was so large that it was possible to distance groups between groups, but the risk of infection can be further increased due to crowded states like relatively small neighborhood parks.

It also increases residents’ anxiety about the crowds that gather in the usual quiet park. Citizen Kang Mo (33, female) said: “Isn’t it that the purpose of restricting access to Hangang Park is that people shouldn’t gather as much as possible?” And “It’s not good to see people get together for a few days and drink somehow.”

The situation was similar to that of a plaza near a shopping complex in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. The citizens seated around each one had their glasses or cans of beer in hand, and there were people who smoked openly.

The same goes for the so-called ‘Yeontral Park’, the Gyeongui Line Forest Road Park, where many young people gather. This place, full of bars on both sides, has long been a second place for citizens who were kicked out of bars around 9pm. There are no incoming control lines installed everywhere, but they don’t care.

Starting on the 8th, Seoul announced that it will control access to some areas of the Han River Citizen Park, such as Yeouido, Ttukseom and Banpo, where many people crowd as a measure to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) . This was due to the fact that around 1 million citizens gathered in Hangang Park from last month 31 to September 6. In particular, it was recently confirmed that a Corona 19 patient went to a convenience store in Ttukseom Park on day 1.

Shin Yong-mok, head of the Han River Commercial Division, said: “For the time being, please refrain from meetings, drinking and eating so that everyone can be safe in Han River Park, a resting place for 10 million of citizens. Even if there are daily aches and pains, please cooperate actively through mature citizenship. I hope, “he said.

The number of recently confirmed coronavirus infections (Corona 19) decreased slightly compared to last week, when concerns about reproliferation prevailed. However, there are still concerns that the “lack of cooperation” from States parties trying to enjoy the end of summer will trigger a community infection.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that at 0 o’clock on the day, an additional 155 confirmed cases were confirmed compared to the previous day. The number of new confirmed cases, which skyrocketed to 400 on the 27th of last month, shows a trend of gradually decreasing, including 300, 200 and 100, and has remained at 100 for 8 consecutive days since the 3rd.

Reporter Yoo Byung-don [email protected]