Korea to spend first restrictions-free Lunar New Year since Covid outbreak

A Covid-19 testing center in Seoul Station is seen empty on Thursday afternoon. [YONHAP]

Korea is expecting its first Lunar New Year holiday without social distancing measures since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This year’s Lunar New Year holiday runs from Jan. 21 through 24.

“Just like the Chuseok holidays last year, the country will not implement social distancing measures for the upcoming holiday,” Health and Welfare Minister Cho Kyoo-hong said Friday.

But the country will still take measures to make sure the number of infections stays under control during the holiday.

Free Covid-19 testing will be available at six highway rest stops across the country during the holidays: Anseong, Icheon and Hwaseong in Gyeonggi, Baegyang Temple and Hampyeong in South Jeolla, and Jinyeong in South Gyeongsang.

Test sites at local clinics and temporary screening facilities for Covid-19 will operate as usual.

Face-to-face meetings at convalescent hospitals and nursing homes will be available as long as visitors test negative on the rapid antigen test.

In regards to the indoor mask mandate, an advisory committee will preside over a meeting next Tuesday and discuss when and how it should be lifted.

The indoor mask rule is among Korea's last remaining Covid restrictions.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]