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South Korea has said that it will begin lowering social distancing rules on Monday, allowing for the reopening of late-night entertainment facilities and sporting events, as new coronavirus cases have declined in recent weeks.
Daily infections have been largely in the double digits for the past two weeks, compared with 440 during outbreaks that followed a church and political rally in August. Those led authorities to tighten restrictions on meetings and some businesses.
The relaxed rules mean that entertainment facilities, such as nightclubs and karaoke bars, can reopen and limited audiences will be allowed at sports matches such as the popular Korea Baseball Organization League, provided they adhere to anti-virus guidelines.
But some stricter rules will be upheld in the densely populated area of Seoul and in high-risk locations, including religious gatherings and door-to-door sales businesses, the government said.
“We will reduce the level of social distancing across the country, but maintain controls on risk factors such as the door-to-door sales industry,” Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said at a meeting.
“Many citizens feel fatigued by prolonged distancing and we also take into consideration its negative impact on the economy.”
The Korea Disease Prevention and Control Agency reported 58 cases as of midnight Saturday, bringing the total infections to 24,606, with 432 deaths.
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