Ruling party, gov't to discuss lifting indoor mask rule

Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyu-hong talks on the phone ahead of meeting related to the mask mandate at the National Assembly on Thursday morning. [YONHAP]

The ruling party and the government were set to discuss lifting the indoor mask mandate in a policy consulting meeting Thursday amid growing views the government will ease the country's last remaining Covid-19 restriction next month.

Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency chief Jee Young-mee and key lawmakers from the People Power Party (PPP) were expected to attend the meeting.

The policy consultation session is seen as part of the final stages in discussing the mandate as the government prepares to announce its plans for the phased removal of the indoor mask rule, including the criteria to determine whether it is feasible, Friday.

In a meeting of health experts organized by the PPP on Wednesday, experts suggested easing the mandate to a recommendation and shortening the seven-day mandatory quarantine period for infected people to three days.

"Four experts said we could refer to how most foreign countries have removed masks, and that we have sufficient medical response capacity in terms of hospital facilities and health workers," Rep. Sung Il-jong, the PPP's chief policymaker, said after the meeting.

Citing research on 9,900 people that showed 98 percent of them had antibodies against Covid-19, Sung stressed the party will review the rule change in a scientific manner.

Some experts said a shorter three-day mandatory quarantine period, currently applicable to health workers, could be expanded to the general public, he said.

Yonhap