Angry Small-Business Owners Stage Civil Disobedience Campaign

Small-business owners in Seoul are staging a civil disobedience movement against the fresh lockdown since Dec. 18.

On Monday many switched off their exterior signage but continued to serve food or conduct other business inside.

Min Byeong-ryeol (69) who sells samgyetang or chicken soup with ginseng in downtown Seoul said, "I worried that fewer customers will come if the lights outside are turned off, but I joined the movement because my business is already in a hole."

"This is just the beginning of our protest against the government's lockdown measures," said Min Sang-heon of a small-business owners' coalition that organized the protest.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of SMEs and Start-ups started handing out a total of W3.2 trillion, or W1 million each, to small-business owners on Monday who are hit the hardest by the lockdown (US$1=W1,188).