S. Korea to Lift Mask Restrictions on Jan.30

South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo announced on Friday that the country plans to lift the mask mandate for most indoor spaces from Jan. 30.

This step marks the nation’s last remaining pandemic restriction as the daily caseload continues to decline.

"The government will discuss and confirm the plan to ease the indoor mask mandate starting Jan. 30, with the exception of some facilities," Han said during the government virus response meeting.

Han also highlighted that three of the four criteria, excluding high vaccination rate among high-risk groups, have been met and that external risk factors were controllable.

The prime minister elaborated that the government set the date for the policy change given that in-person meetings will increase during the Lunar New Year holiday, which will last through Tuesday.

Nevertheless, he urged local authorities to stay vigilant against a temporary spike in infections following the holiday and the change in indoor mask policy.

He also called on the elderly to get vaccinated.

"The importance of vaccination has grown with the easing of the mask mandate," Han said. "I strongly advise high-risk people aged 60 or older and the elderly residing in high-risk facilities to get vaccinated as soon as possible."