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| People wait for COVID-19 tests outside a public health center in Seoul, Feb. 17. AP-Yonhap |
The government will push back the curfew on cafes and restaurants by one hour to 10 p.m. while keeping the private gathering size limit at six starting this weekend, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Friday.
The easing of the social distancing rules comes despite a massive surge in new COVID-19 cases, with the country's daily virus cases exceeding the 100,000 mark for the first time Thursday since the pandemic began two years ago.
The updated antivirus curbs will be in place from Saturday to March 13.
The move comes amid a strong backlash from small merchants and self-employed people who have been complaining that tightened restrictions are dragging down their businesses.
The authorities had reportedly considered raising the private gathering size limit to eight people but decided to maintain the current level as the virus situation is worsening with the Omicron variant.
"We could not overlook the reality of small merchants and self-employed people," Kim said during a COVID-19 response meeting. "Until the Omicron wave shifts to a downward trend after passing its peak, we decided to maintain the structure of the current distancing system."
Kim said the government also decided to postpone the introduction of a youth vaccine pass system by one month to April.
The government had earlier announced that it will expand the vaccine pass system, which requires proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test result to enter multiuse facilities, to include 12-to 18-year-olds.
Korea has recently shifted to an enhanced home-treatment system to focus its medical resources on seriously ill patients and those at high risk of infection amid the soaring cases.
"According to experts, the coronavirus peak is expected to pass around the end of February to mid-March," he said. "I emphasized many times, but after all, the most effective way to reduce serious cases and deaths amid the spread of Omicron is vaccination."
Kim also called on the National Assembly to swiftly review and confirm the size of an extra budget designed to help the pandemic-hit small businesses. The political parties have been arguing that the government's proposed 14 trillion-won ($11.6 billion) supplementary budget should be expanded.
To alleviate the suffering of small merchants, Kim said the government is reviewing its plan of loan maturity extensions and the suspension of debt service payments. (Yonhap)
