'Owners open gyms in defiance of ‘unfair’ virus restrictions'

Owners open gyms in defiance of ‘unfair’ virus restrictions A growing number of gym owners have reopened their businesses this week in defiance of(~에 반항하 여) the government's coronavirus restrictions, claiming the rules are unfair and putting their livelihoods at stake(~를 걸다). Indoor gyms in the capital area are subject to an assembly ban under Level 2.5 social distancing measures, which were recently extended by two weeks until Jan. 17. In announcing the extension, however, the government allowed ballet and taekwondo schools to hold classes of up to nine people, sparking an outcry among gym owners. "A policy that applies different standards to the same type of indoor sports facility isn't fair," said Oh Seong-young, who runs a gym in Pocheon. "Gym operators reopened their businesses while following antivirus rules because we can't possibly continue to live like this," he said. Oh reopened his gym Monday. By the afternoon, police officers and municipal workers(지방 자치제 직원) stopped by to issue a warning(경고하다), but he refused to close the facility. Outside the headquarters of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, representatives of the Pilates and fitness industry held a press conference Tuesday to demand equality. They said indoor gyms have complied with the government's restrictions and even suspended their business voluntarily to help the country's fight against the virus. In return, the government has continued to impose an assembly ban on gyms but made exceptions for other businesses that defied the rules in previous rounds of restrictions, they said. A day before the reopening, Oh posted a message to Instagram calling on all small business operators in the capital area to join him in his campaign. The message also poured blistering criticism(맹렬한 비판) on the government for leading the people to "starvation and death" by refusing to raise the social distancing scheme to the highest Level 3 to quickly contain the virus, while "complimenting itself" for its initial success in curbing infections(감염을 제한하다). On Tuesday, the government sought to explain the difference between gyms and taekwondo and ballet schools. "Indoor gyms are in closed spaces and have a tendency for strong discharges of saliva, so it would be a stretch to put them in the same category as schools," said Son Young-rae, a health ministry spokesman.