South Korea to lift outdoor mask mandate

Seoul, Sep 23 (EFE).- South Korea announced Friday that it will no longer be mandatory to wear a facemask outdoors starting next week.

Currently, people are required to wear a mask at outdoor events with 50 or more people and are subject to a fine if they fail to do so.

However, that mandate will be scrapped from Monday.

“We are clearly overcoming a critical moment of a resurgence in Covid-19,” Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said during a government response meeting, local news agency Yonhap reported.

“Going forward, the government will ease low-risk anti-virus measures one by one after receiving feedback from experts,” he added.

Masks will remain mandatory indoors for the time being amid possible risks of seasonal flu and a resurgence of coronavirus cases, Han said.

In May, South Korea lifted mandatory mask wearing outdoors for individuals but kept it in place for large gatherings, including concerts, sporting events and rallies. EFE

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