Most social distancing rules will end on Monday

People walk in City Hall station past a poster promoting social distancing. From April 18, many social distancing restrictions will be lifted. [NEWS1]

Social distancing restrictions will be lifted Monday, except for indoor and outdoor mask mandates.

Korea has had social distancing regulations since March 2020, the beginning of the pandemic. They have gotten tighter and looser through the years depending on the daily infection counts.

Currently, there’s a 10-person cap on private gatherings and a midnight business curfew.

The curfew ends Monday, along with quantitative restrictions on events like weddings.

Eating and drinking at theaters and gym will be allowed from April 25.

“It is now possible to start our journey to try to get back to [normalcy],” said Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum during a Covid-19 response meeting on Friday.
The mask mandates will continue, although the government may lift the outside mask mandate after two weeks.

“Wearing a mask indoor is necessary for some time,” said Kim. “However, there is lower risk of [infection] outdoors, so we will decide after two weeks.”

The government is also reclassifying Covid-19 from a Class-1 infectious disease to Class-2 from April 25. Rules about quarantines and home treatment will also be changed, according to Prime Minister Kim.

On Friday, Korea reported 125,846 new infections, down from Thursday’s148,443 and Wednesday’s 195,419. Meanwhile, the number of severely ill patient stayed in the triple digits at 999. There were 264 deaths reported Friday.

BY LEE SUN-MIN [summerlee@joongang.co.kr]