<Anchor> As the



Corona 19 situation is getting longer, self-employed people are having a harder time than ever.

In the last three months, it was counted that more than 20,000 shopping malls were closed in Seoul alone.



First, reporter Kim Hye-min will tell you about the situation of self-employment, which is followed by closure.



<Reporter>



Employees carry used computers piled up in trucks into the electronics mall.



These are items from a PC room that closed a few days ago.



[Kim Ki-chun / Used goods transport company employee: (PC cafe owners) It tastes dying.

It really tastes to die...

Even if I open it, it does not sell well.

There are so many coming in, and the PC room has to open again, but you don't.]



[Ahn Kwang-il/Staff of a used computer purchaser:

I

tend

to have

more (used computers) than other times.

As time is time...

I don’t go out to the PC room again…

.] The



situation in Jongno Sewoon Shopping Center, where used karaoke equipment is bought and sold, is similar.



Used karaoke equipment is piled up outside the store because it is not enough inside the store.



You can hardly find customers coming to buy things.



[Lee Seong-hee/Employee of a used karaoke device purchaser: It was sold for 300,000 won or 350,000 won, but now it doesn't even cost 250,000 to 280,000 won.]



Amidst the direct hit by the entire self-employment due to the stagnation of domestic demand due to the coronavirus, the business itself was particularly limited. Business closures have increased sharply in karaoke rooms, PC rooms, and indoor sports facilities.



[Yoga store closed business owner: For two weeks, we were banned from operation at all.

In the meantime, I have been working for a day.

I have to pay the rent...

Landlords do not cut rent.] It



is an analysis that the closing process is only the beginning due to the prolonged corona 19.



As a result of a recent survey of 3,400 small business owners, 22% said they had already closed their business, and more than half said they were considering closing it.



[Restaurant Closing Owner: No matter how much IMF, MERS, and financial crisis have gone through, I have to put my hands down to the point that I can never win this corona...

.

There are a lot of shopping malls on our floor.] The



number of self-employed employees with employees has decreased by 180,000 in a year, but if the situation does not improve, there is a high possibility that the business will be closed.



(Video coverage: Han Il-sang, video editing: Kim Ho-jin, VJ: Jung Min-gu)