Gov't vows to end outdated dance ban at live music venues

The government pledged to reform outdated regulations that prohibit dancing at live music venues registered as general restaurants, addressing a long-standing issue that recently sparked outrage across the independent music scene, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Chae Hwi-young said Wednesday. Speaking at the fourth advisory committee meeting for popular music policy in Seoul, the minister emphasized the urgent need to revise the Enforcement Decree of the Food Sanitation Act. "We need to bring this issue into the public discourse and resolve it once and for all," Choi said during the meeting. "Instead of avoiding the discussion as in the past, we must not miss this opportunity to update regulations that no longer align with reality." The policy discussion was brought up when Ovantgarde, a live music venue in Busan, was slapped with a temporary shutdown for two months due to allegations it allowed patrons to dance during a band's performance. Under current food sanitation regulations, establishments registered as general restaurants are strictly prohibited from allowing customers t