One COVID-19 Case Each in Incheon Elementary and Middle Schools... 520 Schools Adjust In-Person Class Schedules

98% of Schools Adjusting Attendance Days Concentrated in the Capital Area
Infection Confirmed from Maternal Grandmother
"No Confirmed Cases from In-School Transmission"

On the 8th, when the fourth phase of in-person classes for first-year middle school students and fifth- and sixth-grade elementary students began, students at an elementary school in Seoul were undergoing temperature checks at the school gate. According to the Ministry of Education, 1.35 million first-year middle school and fifth- and sixth-grade elementary students attended school that day, marking 98 days since the original school start date of March 2 this year. Previously, third-year high school students first returned to school on the 20th of last month, followed by a phased return by grade level. With this day's attendance, a total of 5.95 million elementary, middle, and high school students nationwide began in-person classes for the first semester of this year. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] On the 9th, a day after all grades started attending school, 520 schools in 7 cities and provinces nationwide adjusted their in-person class days.

The Ministry of Education announced that as of 10 a.m., the number of kindergartens, elementary, middle, high schools, and special schools that adjusted their attendance days increased by 3 from 517 the previous day. Six schools in Seoul resumed in-person classes, while a total of 9 schools in Chungnam, Incheon, and Gyeongnam adjusted their attendance days.

At 1 a.m. that day, one additional confirmed case was reported each at an elementary school and a middle school in the Incheon area. Deputy Minister of Education Baekbeom Park stated, "It is understood that the infection occurred through contact with a confirmed case who is the maternal grandmother," adding, "The affected schools immediately switched to remote classes and are conducting screening tests for all 699 related individuals." Deputy Minister Park also added, "So far, there have been no confirmed cases caused by infections within schools."

The Ministry of Education, together with the city and provincial education offices, has established a plan to support approximately 40,000 personnel through budget support. After-school instructors, volunteers, and others are conducting activities such as temperature checks during students' arrival and departure, maintaining distance between students, supporting meal services, and managing class divisions. Additional personnel will be deployed.

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