SEOUL - South Korea will lift the mask mandate for public transportation from Monday, ending the Covid-19 preventative measure imposed since 2020, the government announced on Wednesday.

“The government will now lift the mask mandate on public transportation, including the bus and subway, on March 20,” Vice-Interior Minister Han Chang-seob said during a government Covid-19 response meeting.

The types of public transportation where people are no longer required to wear masks include public buses, school buses, the subway, KTX bullet trains, taxis and aeroplanes.

Mandatory mask rules have been in place for public transportation since early 2020, though the current mandate was introduced in October that year.

The rule mandating face masks on mass transit systems is one of the last-remaining Covid-19 restrictions in the country.

The outdoor mask mandate was lifted in May 2022, followed by the indoor mask mandate ending in January.

The decision came as South Korea’s new Covid-19 cases continue a downward trend.

The country reported 11,899 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, down by about 900 from the same day the previous week.

“Since the adjustment of mask-wearing requirements on Jan 30, the virus situation has been in stable condition, registering a 38 per cent fall in the average daily virus infections and a 55 per cent fall in new seriously ill patients,” Mr Han said.

“However, the government strongly recommends wearing masks for those people with symptoms or high-risk groups during the rush hour.”

The mandate to wear masks in pharmacies, at open public spaces such as inside train stations and discount stores will also be lifted.

The rule will remain for people at medical institutions, general pharmacies and other vulnerable facilities.

With the near-complete lifting of the mask mandate, the seven-day isolation mandate for Covid-19 patients remains the country’s last significant Covid-19 restriction.

Ending the isolation requirement is also under discussion, with a final decision expected to be made in March.

South Korea’s latest move comes as a growing number of countries lift the mask mandate in public places.

As at Feb 25, countries including Italy, Austria, New Zealand and Chile had no mask mandate for mass transit commuters, but kept the mask rule for people at medical institutions.

Others including Greece and Egypt still require masks on public transportation.

Masks are no longer required in any places in the United States, Britain, France, the Netherlands and Denmark. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK