Social Distancing and 5-Person Limit Extended for 3 More Weeks... "'July Introduction' Reform Plan to Be Applied Gradually" (Update)

Intermediate-Level Reform Plan Applied to Concert and Sports Venues

On the 11th, when the government announced the extension of the current social distancing measures (Level 2 in the metropolitan area, Level 1.5 in non-metropolitan areas) and the ban on private gatherings of five or more people for three weeks, citizens lined up to get tested at a temporary COVID-19 screening clinic set up in the plaza of Seoul Station. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

The government has extended the current social distancing measures for three more weeks ahead of the introduction of the new social distancing system in July. However, considering a smooth transition to the new system, the revised measures will be gradually applied to concerts, sports stadiums, and other venues starting next week.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters on the 11th, the current social distancing levels (Level 2 in the metropolitan area, Level 1.5 in non-metropolitan areas) will be maintained from the 14th of this month until July 4th. However, local governments may flexibly strengthen measures depending on the local infection situation. As of this date, areas under Level 2 social distancing include the metropolitan area, Daegu, and Jeju. The nationwide ban on private gatherings of five or more people will also continue to be enforced.

Since the new social distancing system will be implemented immediately after the current levels end, some parts of the revised plan will be applied preemptively. First, sports stadiums will expand spectator attendance to an intermediate level of the new system, but only for outdoor venues. Accordingly, in Level 2 areas, spectator capacity will increase from 10% to 30% (new system allows 50%), and in Level 1.5 areas, it will increase to 50% (new system allows 70%). For concerts and popular music performances, which have faced equity issues, quarantine measures will be unified under the rules applied to classical and musical performances. Until the system revision, the maximum number of attendees will be limited to 4,000. If temporary seats are installed, a distance of at least 1 meter must be maintained.

Additionally, the pilot application of the revised social distancing system, currently in place in Jeonnam, Gyeongbuk, and Gyeongnam, will be expanded to include Gangwon.

Kwon Deok-cheol, the first deputy head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, stated, "For cultural activities with lower risk, we will steadily manage the quarantine situation by gradually increasing the number of attendees based on compliance with basic quarantine rules, and we will thoroughly prepare for the social distancing system revision in July."

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