Seoul Public Transportation: No Boarding Without Mask During Rush Hour Commute

On the 6th, when the government ended 'social distancing' to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and transitioned to 'everyday quarantine,' office workers near Sindorim Station in Guro-gu, Seoul, were wearing masks while using the subway. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] From now on, when riding the Seoul subway during peak hours, wearing a mask will be mandatory.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will implement 'everyday social distancing' measures for public transportation starting from the 13th. First, when the subway congestion level (the ratio of passengers to seating capacity) reaches 150% or more, making movement inside the train difficult?a stage defined as 'congestion'?passengers without masks will be restricted from boarding.

When boarding restrictions are in effect, announcements requesting mask-wearing will be made, and station staff will prevent passengers without masks from entering through the ticket gates.

Passengers who do not have masks can purchase them at market prices from station vending machines (448 locations), integrated sales points (118 locations), and convenience stores (157 locations).

During rush hours, additional train cars will be deployed to reduce congestion. On highly congested lines (Lines 2, 4, and 7), train services will be increased, while on other lines, standby trains will be positioned to be deployed immediately in case of congestion.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government urged citizens to avoid peak hours based on congestion time and line information, and requested that high-risk groups for infectious diseases, such as those with underlying health conditions, refrain from using public transportation during congested times.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.