Jeong Eun-gyeong "Considering Suspension of QR Code for Entry Logs... Separate Measures for Vaccine Pass"

"Full Relaxation of Social Distancing Could Cause Medical System Collapse...Gradual Easing Needed"

Jung Eun-kyung, Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, is attending the Fair Election Related Ministers' Meeting held at the Government Seoul Office Building on the 15th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] On the 14th, the quarantine authorities announced that they are considering temporarily suspending the QR code-based electronic entry log required for entering multi-use facilities such as restaurants.

Jung Eun-kyung, Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), appeared on KBS 1TV's 'Emergency Diagnosis Special Talk' in the afternoon and stated, "We believe it is necessary to stop using the QR codes currently used for entry logs to identify contacts at multi-use facilities." She added, "We are considering temporarily suspending them in connection with the recent shift in epidemiological investigations responding to the Omicron variant."

So far, entry logs such as QR codes and Safe Call have been used to trace contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases. However, with the recent surge in confirmed cases and the simplification of epidemiological investigations, concerns have been raised that entry logs have become virtually meaningless.

Commissioner Jung clarified, "QR codes used to verify vaccination status for the purpose of the quarantine pass should continue to be utilized," and added, "We are reviewing ways to separate and organize these uses."

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, who also appeared on the talk show, said, "QR codes for movement tracking have lost their meaning," and added, "If it is judged that they only cause inconvenience to business owners without practical benefits, appropriate measures will be taken."

On the 13th, a visitor at a cafe in downtown Seoul is tagging the electronic entry log QR code. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, regarding the current social distancing measures in place until the 20th, the government is considering easing restrictions on private gathering sizes and business operating hours. Currently, social distancing limits private gatherings to a maximum of six people and restricts operating hours of multi-use facilities such as restaurants and cafes to 9 p.m.

Commissioner Jung stated, "If many measures are lifted all at once, the spread could accelerate, increasing the peak scale and potentially causing the collapse of the healthcare system, so caution is necessary," adding, "It is important to adjust social distancing measures gradually and moderately."

She continued, "Possible adjustments include modifying time restrictions, gathering sizes, and reviewing the scope of quarantine pass application," emphasizing, "We need to consider a combination of factors to find easing methods that achieve the intended goals."

Prime Minister Kim commented on the distancing measures, saying, "Businesses that operate in the evening are struggling due to strengthened quarantine measures," and added, "We will make judgments to ease restrictions without fueling the spread during this process."

Meanwhile, the government plans to announce adjustments to social distancing measures on the 18th. Son Young-rae, Head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, emphasized during a regular briefing on the 15th that "due to changes in the characteristics of the epidemic caused by the dominance of the Omicron variant, we must decide how much social and economic damage to tolerate, and we are gathering various opinions."

Regarding the quarantine pass, Son also stated, "Considering cost-effectiveness to achieve the policy goal of minimizing severe cases and deaths, the quarantine pass needs to be maintained somewhat more than social distancing."

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