Will Indoor Mask Mandate Be Lifted Soon? ... Health Authorities "Reviewing Expert Opinions"

Minister of Health and Welfare "Reviewing Overseas Cases of Indoor Mask Mandates with Location Distinctions"

On the 11th, travelers wearing masks are moving inside the domestic terminal of Gimpo Airport in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] The quarantine authorities announced that they are reviewing experts' opinions on the plan to differentiate indoor mask-wearing mandates by location.

On the 21st, Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said at a regular briefing, "Various conflicting opinions are being presented regarding indoor mask-wearing," adding, "Currently, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency is gathering and reviewing opinions from various units, including an expert advisory committee."

This statement was in response to Health and Welfare Minister Cho Kyu-hong's earlier mention of a plan to mandate mask-wearing only in specific places such as public transportation. On the 20th, during the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee's audit, Minister Cho responded to People Power Party lawmaker Kim Mi-ae's suggestion that "mask-wearing mandates should be selectively applied" by saying, "We will actively consider overseas cases that mandate mask-wearing by distinguishing locations such as medical institutions, public transportation, and social welfare facilities."

Minister Cho added, "The current maintenance of the mask-wearing mandate is a decision made after listening to experts' opinions, considering the possibility of a resurgence, public inconvenience, and acceptance," but also noted, "There are many who agree with the lawmaker's suggestion to selectively apply the mandate."

The government is currently gradually easing quarantine policies as the spread of COVID-19 slows down. The outdoor mask-wearing mandate was lifted on the 26th of last month, and from the 1st of this month, PCR testing for overseas arrivals was abolished. Remaining COVID-19 quarantine measures include indoor mask-wearing and a seven-day isolation mandate for confirmed cases.

Meanwhile, as fatigue over mask-wearing has increased during the nearly three-year-long COVID-19 crisis, more than half of the public believe that the indoor mask-wearing mandate can be lifted. A survey conducted by Professor Yoo Myung-soon’s research team at Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Health and the polling agency CaseStat Research from September 22 to 26, using an online web survey method targeting 1,000 people nationwide aged 18 and older, found that in response to the question, "What do you think about lifting the indoor mask-wearing mandate?" 55% answered "It can be lifted," while 41.8% answered "It cannot be lifted."

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