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SEOUL: South Korean President Moon Jae-in warned on Sunday (December 13) that COVID-19 restrictions may be raised to the highest level after a second day of record increases in cases as the country struggles against a harsh third wave of infection.
Chairing an emergency meeting at the Security Countermeasures and Disaster Headquarters for the first time since February, Moon urged vigilance and called for all efforts to contain the virus.
“Unless the outbreak can be contained now, it has reached the critical point of considering escalating social distancing measures to the third tier,” he said, referring to the stricter restrictions in the country’s five-tier system.
Greater Seoul, home to about half of South Korea’s 52 million people, is under level 2.5 restrictions. Meetings of more than 50 people are prohibited and restaurants are prohibited from serving customers after 9 pm
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A country that had initial success in controlling COVID-19, South Korea reported 1,030 new coronavirus infections on Sunday after 950 the previous day, bringing total infections to 42,766 with 580 deaths.
Of the new cases, 1,002 were transmitted locally, the Korea Agency for Disease Prevention and Control said.
“Our back is against the wall,” Moon said. “This is a crucial time to dedicate all of our virus control capabilities and administrative power to stop the spread of the coronavirus.”
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Level 3 curbs would essentially spell a lockdown for the first time in Asia’s fourth-largest economy. Schools would switch to distance learning, companies could allow only essential workers in offices, and gatherings of more than 10 people would be prohibited.
South Korea was praised for its initial success in containing the coronavirus without a lockdown by relying heavily on tracing and contact testing after the country’s first case was confirmed in January.
On Saturday, Moon ordered the mobilization of police, military personnel and public doctors to block the spread, which he called an “emergency.”
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