Guidance Period for Quarantine Pass 1-2 Weeks... Allowed for Vaccinated Individuals at Entertainment Venues and Gyms (Comprehensive)

Step 1: Easing Restrictions on Business Facility Operations
Step 2: Allowing Large-Scale Events
Step 3: Lifting Private Gathering Restrictions
'Daily Recovery' Applied at 6-Week Intervals
Emergency Plan Activated at 75% Bed Occupancy Rate

Health and Welfare Minister Kwon Deok-cheol is announcing the final implementation plan of the new quarantine system "Phased Daily Recovery," which will be introduced from the 1st of next month, at the government complex in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 29th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporters Seo So-jeong and Lee Chun-hee] Starting from the 1st of next month, the number of private gatherings will increase to 10 people in the metropolitan area and 12 people in non-metropolitan areas, and all multi-use facilities except entertainment venues will be allowed to operate 24 hours a day, providing relief to daily life. The restoration of daily life will be implemented in three stages over a basic interval of six weeks starting next month. The government plans to proceed step-by-step with Stage 1: 'Relaxation of business operation restrictions,' Stage 2: 'Permission for large-scale events,' and Stage 3: 'Lifting of private gathering restrictions.'

Entertainment venues open until midnight... Entry only for fully vaccinated

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters finalized and announced the daily life recovery implementation plan on the 29th and decided to begin Stage 1 from the 1st of next month. Stage 2 will start on December 13, and Stage 3 will begin on January 24 next year. From the start of Stage 1 next month, considering the difficulties faced by business facilities, restrictions on operating hours for all facilities such as restaurants and cafes will be lifted.

For entertainment venues, time restrictions will be lifted in two phases. In the metropolitan area, restaurants and cafes will be allowed to operate after 10 PM starting from the 1st of next month, and high-risk facilities such as entertainment venues, karaoke rooms, and dance halls, which were previously prohibited from gathering, will be allowed to open until midnight. However, since mask-wearing is not possible while eating or drinking in restaurants and cafes, and the risk of infection is high, the number of unvaccinated users will be limited to four. Academies will lift restrictions from November 22, after the College Scholastic Ability Test, to ensure the safety of examinees. For nursing hospitals, nursing facilities, inpatient visits, and facilities for the disabled, where the risk of death from infection is high, only vaccinated visitors will be allowed. Unvaccinated staff and caregivers are required to undergo weekly PCR testing.

Regarding private gatherings, up to 10 people in the metropolitan area and 12 people in non-metropolitan areas will be allowed during the first and second phases, with restrictions lifted in the third phase. The number of people allowed at events and assemblies will also increase significantly. In the first phase, events with fewer than 100 people will be allowed regardless of vaccination status, while events with 100 or more people will be limited to fully vaccinated individuals. Accordingly, weddings, first birthday parties, exhibitions, concerts, and assemblies can host up to 500 people without restrictions if only fully vaccinated or tested negative attendees participate. In the second phase, all capacity limits will be removed to allow large-scale events, and in the third phase, all restrictions on the number of attendees will be lifted.

For religious activities, if unvaccinated individuals are included, regular religious services such as worship, Buddhist ceremonies, and memorial services will be allowed at 50% capacity, but if only fully vaccinated individuals participate, capacity limits will be lifted in the first phase.

One-week grace period for the vaccine pass... Two weeks for indoor sports facilities

On the 29th, ahead of the implementation of the 'Phased Daily Recovery (With Corona)' quarantine system starting from the 1st of next month, office workers and citizens are walking at Gwanghwamun Station of the Seoul subway. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

The vaccine pass (proof of vaccination or negative test) will also be implemented with limitations. High-risk multi-use facilities such as entertainment venues, karaoke rooms, indoor sports facilities, bathhouses, and horse racing, cycling, motorboat racing, and casinos will be accessible only to fully vaccinated individuals or those with a negative PCR test. Especially for entertainment venues, due to the high risk of infection, only fully vaccinated individuals will be allowed. However, exceptions are made for those with a negative PCR test within 48 hours, individuals under 18, recovered patients, and those who cannot be vaccinated for unavoidable reasons.

During the first phase, time and capacity restrictions (one person per 8㎡) at vaccine pass facilities will be lifted, and in the second phase, restrictions such as bans on eating and drinking will be eased. The government recommends using electronic certificates such as the COOV application for proof of vaccination, but paper certificates (issued by health centers or separate websites) and vaccination stickers (attached to ID cards) will also be accepted.

The government plans to evaluate the safety of vaccine pass facilities after the first phase and consider lifting the application for lower-risk facilities after the second phase. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters stated, "To enhance compliance on-site during the implementation of the system, a one-week grace period will be operated with intensified publicity." In particular, since the vaccine pass will be applied starting next month, a two-week grace period will be provided for indoor sports facilities to allow for refunds or extensions for unvaccinated users.

Emergency plan prepared... To be implemented when bed occupancy reaches 75%

The government has also prepared an emergency plan in case of a surge in critically ill patients. The emergency plan will be implemented when the intensive care unit bed occupancy rate reaches 75% or more, or when the 7-day moving average exceeds 70%. Lee Ki-il, the first controller of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, explained, "The bed occupancy rate criterion was changed to 75% from the initially proposed 80% because experts pointed out that implementing the emergency plan at 80% would mean hospitals are already full." Additionally, the quarantine and monitoring period for contacts will be shortened from 14 days to 10 days.

Meanwhile, in line with the expansion of home treatment, oral COVID-19 treatments will be introduced from the first quarter of next year. The government announced that it has signed advance purchase agreements for 200,000 doses with MSD (Merck) last month and 70,000 doses with Pfizer this month, securing a total of 270,000 doses. The government will continue to monitor development and plans to secure an additional 134,000 doses, bringing the total to 404,000 doses. The pre-purchased treatments will be prescribed to mild to moderate COVID-19 patients with high-risk factors such as underlying diseases and old age.

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