A quarantine team disinfects the street of Daerim Central Market in Yeungdeungpo in Seoul, Tuesday. The market is a place for Chinese immigrants and tourists to shop and eat. / Korea Times photo by Bae Woo-han



By Kim Se-jeong



The Seoul Metropolitan Government conducted a rare inspection of restaurants in the city's three major traditional markets, Wednesday, for the possible illegal consumption of bat meat, as part of its efforts to prevent the spread of a coronavirus, according to city officials.



On Wednesday, three additional cases of infection were confirmed here, putting the total number at 19.



The inspection team consisting of city officials overseeing hygiene matters, police and consumer rights activists looked into restaurants in Daerim Central Market in Yeungdeungpo, Gyeongdong Market in Dongdaemun and Joyang Market in Gwangjin; areas that are frequented by Chinese immigrants and tourists.



The selling of bat meat is illegal here, but the inspection was carried out on suspicions that small quantities could potentially be brought to those venues from China. The officials said that so far they had not found any irregularities.



Experts believe that bats may have been the source of the new coronavirus and that the first bat to human infection might have occurred at one of Wuhan's so-called wet markets where raw bat meat is traded.



Some people in China, along with other countries in Asia and the Asia Pacific region, eat bat meat often in a soup.



However, among most Chinese people, especially the younger generation, eating bat meat is considered to be a thing of the past with some not even knowing it had previously existed.



The bat is regarded in Chinese culture as a creature symbolizing wealth and happiness and some people hang dry bats in their homes.



The inspection is among a series of preventive measures undertaken by the city government, as the capital is visited by the most tourists, and so is at the forefront of the battle against the new coronavirus.



City government emergency teams have been working around the clock disinfecting subway trains, subway stations and public toilets.



The city has also been providing assistance to hospitals and other public organizations in dealing with suspected and confirmed patients.



It is also providing daily information updates for city residents on both its YouTube channel and official website.



The metropolitan government set aside 500 billion won that will be used for low-interest loan to small businesses that are hurt by the outbreak. The outbreak is keeping people at home and has reduced the numbers of foreign tourists visiting the city, hurting such businesses.

