S. Korea Returns to Remote Learning over Hike in Coronavirus

South Korea announced, on Sunday, that schools in the capital area are going to resume remote learning this week over the spread of coronavirus.

This decision comes as a part of the government campaign aimed at stemming the fast spread of the coronavirus, Yonhap News Agency reported.

In this sense, schools in Seoul and overly crowded ones in other parts of the country will roll back fully in-person classes and reintroduce a mix of traditional and online learning starting Monday.

The news agency stated that middle and high schools will be able to run at two-thirds capacity, while third- to sixth-grade elementary school classes will be able to run at 75 percent capacity. Only first- and second-grade elementary schools will continue to be held fully in-person classes.

However, local education authorities in Seoul adopted tighter rules, forcing elementary schools in the city to further limit in-person classes for third- to sixth-graders to 50 percent capacity, given that first- and second-graders are attending fully in-person classes.

Notably, South Korea reported more than 7,000 cases almost daily, setting fresh records for COVID-19 cases, critically ill patients, and deaths.