South Korea said on Friday it would step up its mandate to authorize a foreign face mask next week in the country’s latest move to ease COVID-19 restrictions, despite opposition from the forthcoming government calling the decision “premature”.
Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said the decision was made as the government “can no longer look away” from the disruption experienced by its citizens as the country stabilizes. “People still need to wear masks at events with 50 or more people, such as in circles, concerts and stadiums,” Kim said. South Korea reported 50,568 568 cases of coronavirus on Friday, falling from a high of more than 620,000 a daymid-March.
The decision comes just days after the inauguration of newly elected President Yoon Suk-yeol on May 10 and despite opposition from his team, prompting them to express deep regret and concern over the announcement. The transformation team agrees to enforce the wearing of the mask authority as part of efforts to return to normalcy, but we have repeatedly stressed that removing the outer mask authority at this time would be premature, “Yoon party spokesman Hong Kyung-hee told the forum.
AhnCheol-soo, head of Yoon’s transformation team, had said earlier this week that the new government would consider getting out of the mask outside the end of May. South Korea has already spent most of its epidemic-related safety measures, including midnight arrival at restaurants and other businesses.
The country has been very successful in preventing deaths and serious cases by widespread vaccination, and has backed up the vicious efforts to track down and carry out which has made it a success to reduce most of the first two years of the epidemic. About 87% of South Korea 65% also have a booster, according to data from the Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
