South Korea relaxes regulations on wearing masks outdoors

People eat fried chicken in Seoul, South Korea – Photo: REUTERS

Prime Minister Kim Boo Kyum said the government made the decision because it cannot ignore the inconveniences that people have to experience when the COVID-19 epidemic situation has gradually stabilized.

People still have to wear masks at events with more than 50 people attending, such as meetings, concerts or at sports stadiums.

On the morning of April 29, South Korea recorded an additional 50,568 new cases of COVID-19, sharply down from the peak of more than 620,000 cases/day in mid-March.

Newly elected President Yoon Suk Yeol will take office on May 10. Mr. Yoon’s cabinet expressed concern about Prime Minister Kim Boo Kyum’s decision, saying it was “too early” to abolish the mask-wearing rule.

According to Reuters news agency, South Korea has dropped most of its COVID-19 prevention measures, including a midnight curfew for restaurants and other businesses.

Deaths and severe cases of COVID-19 in South Korea have been brought under control thanks to a mass vaccination campaign. The country also eased the rigorous tracing and blockade efforts that were in place at the beginning of the pandemic.

According to data from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), nearly 87% of 52 million people have been fully vaccinated, 65% have been vaccinated.

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