Starting Next Week, Will Masks Be Removed Outdoors? ... Government Set to Announce Tomorrow

Transition Team, Despite 'Late May Decision' Policy... Current Government "No Reason Not to Lift"

On the 15th, when the government decided to fully lift social distancing measures after 2 years and 1 month, office workers wearing masks were heading to work on Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The government has decided to lift the outdoor mask-wearing mandate starting next week. This policy is expected to be announced at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on the morning of the 29th.

According to health authorities on the 28th, since the complete lifting of social distancing measures such as restrictions on private gatherings and business hours on the 18th, the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases has continued to decline. Experts also judge that various quarantine indicators, including the severity rate and mortality rate, are stabilizing.

Accordingly, the government concluded that the mask mandate can be lifted outdoors, where the risk of infection transmission is lower than indoors.

Earlier, Ahn Cheol-soo, chairman of the Presidential Transition Committee, stated the day before that a 'mask-free outdoor' declaration would be considered within 30 days of the new government's launch. Regarding the timing of the lifting declaration, he said, "We plan to assess the situation around late May and make a judgment."

Ahn’s remarks were interpreted as a recommendation not to lift the mandate, effectively advising the current government, which had already announced it would review the outdoor mask mandate on the 29th, to refrain from lifting it. Because of this, there was speculation that the government, which planned to announce the lifting of the outdoor mask mandate on the 29th, might accept the Transition Committee’s opinion and defer the decision to the next administration.

However, it has been reported that the government has concluded there is currently no reason or justification to keep masks on. After reviewing the Transition Committee’s opinions, including Ahn’s remarks, the government judged that conditions for lifting the outdoor mask mandate have been met, considering that COVID-19 spread has stabilized despite the lifting of social distancing and that the infectious disease classification has been downgraded.

Some express concern that postponing the lifting of the mandate to the next government, despite prior announcements and valid reasons for lifting it, could be perceived as 'political quarantine.' In this regard, a Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters official responded, "As of the 28th, discussions are still ongoing, and no decision has been made."

If the outdoor mask mandate is lifted following the end of social distancing, most COVID-19 restrictions except for indoor mask-wearing will be removed, bringing daily life recovery one step closer.

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum is expected to emphasize the significance of lifting the outdoor mask mandate and express gratitude to the public for adhering to quarantine rules during the Omicron crisis at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on the morning of the 29th.

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