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A screening center at the National Medical Center in Seoul announces increased waiting times for COVID-19 testing on Nov. 29. (Kim Hye-yun, staff photographer)

The South Korean government has decided to maintain its social distancing measures for the Seoul Capital Area (SCA) at Level 2 but with a few adjustments. Under the upgraded measures, saunas, public bathhouses, and aerobics studios will be closed down. The government has also announced a ban on any parties or gatherings — common at this time of year — of 10 or more people to slow down the spread of COVID-19 among young people.

Areas outside the SCA will be placed under Level 1.5 restrictions with the exception of Busan, Yeongseo (Gangwon Province), South Gyeongsang Province, South Chungcheong Province, and North Jeolla Province, which will upgrade to Level 2 measures.

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun headed a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) on Nov. 29 to confirm these new restrictions.

“We are seeing the emergence of a third wave of COVID-19, the most serious crisis we’ve faced since March of this year,” said Chung during a press conference following the meeting. “Undetected risks of infection lie in wait everywhere within our daily routines.”

“We need to transition from a state-led containment effort into a nationwide campaign where every individual citizen takes personal responsibility for stopping the spread of COVID-19,” he added.

Under the new restrictions, saunas and public bathhouses will be shut down from Dec. 1 to 7. The same goes for dance and aerobics studios as well as classes that offer spinning, kickboxing, and any other type of “intense indoor sports activity.” Music classes that involve wind instruments or singing are also prohibited, as they pose a heightened risk of transmission through droplets. The government has also announced a “strong advisory” against year-end parties and gatherings in hotels, party rooms, and guesthouses as well as any gatherings of 10 or more persons.

By Noh Ji-won and Choi Ha-yan, staff reporters

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