Seoul to ban drinking at parks, riverside after 10 pm

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The Seoul metropolitan government said Tuesday it will temporarily ban drinking at parks and by the Han River from 10 p.m. until the morning hours starting the same day.

The ban was announced Sunday as part of the central government's toughened social distancing guidelines for the capital area, which has recently seen a spike in COVID-19 cases.

The city government said it will begin enforcing the ban at 10 p.m. Tuesday under an administrative order.

"Those who are caught (in violation) will first be given guidance and then fined if they fail to follow orders," Park Yoo-mi, a disease control official at the city government, said during a press briefing, asking the public to refrain from drinking outdoors at late hours regardless of the fine. (Yonhap)