An emergency worker leaves a health care center in western Seoul after taking a COVID-19 patient to the hospital on Nov. 16, 2020. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 5 (Korea Bizwire) — The so-called ‘coparazzis,’ or paparazzi that report on COVID-19 quarantine violations to win rewards, are gaining presence.
The government and local authorities recently introduced a new program that allows citizens to report on quarantine violations in exchange for rewards as an effort to keep an eye on businesses failing to uphold quarantine regulations.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) announced on Dec. 23 that 100,000-won (US$90) gift certificates usable at traditional markets will be awarded to 100 people with outstanding performance in reporting violations.
The city of Incheon vowed to select and reward 40 best ‘coparazzis’ out of those registered until Nov. 30. South Gyeongsang Province has awarded 12 coparazzis with the governor’s award and prize money.
A series of reward policies put forth by governments is resulting in a massive inflow of violation reports on online forums.
The MOIS received a total of 30,297 reports on violation in December only.
Among violations, 45.6 percent were related to illegal business operations or gathering of people (13,827 cases), while 29.5 percent were related to poor management of entry, or failing to wear a protective mask (8,939 cases).
The new policy is being met with mixed views as some believe it could work as an alternative to overcome the government’s limits to supervising quarantine restrictions, while others are concerned over excessive workload and false reports.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
