Seoul faces stricter Covid-19 measures as South Korea stands at 'critical juncture'

People riding escalators in front of a mural at Incheon International Airport in South Korea last week. Persistent outbreaks in recent weeks are threatening to undo the country's success in battling the coronavirus.
People riding escalators in front of a mural at Incheon International Airport in South Korea last week. PHOTO: BLOOMBERG

SEOUL • South Korea tightened coronavirus measures yesterday in Seoul and its surrounding areas as the country reported the highest number of new daily infections in more than five months.

The stricter social distancing guidelines include restrictions on gatherings and activities including professional sports, which will again be played behind closed doors in the capital area.

The move came as South Korea reported 166 new cases yesterday, the highest daily figure since early March, bringing the country's total infections to 15,039 with 305 deaths.

South Korea stands at a "critical juncture" in the battle to control the surge in coronavirus infections, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said at a government response meeting.

"Our top priority is to contain the spread of the virus in the greater Seoul area," he added.

Many of the new cases came from the greater Seoul region - home to half of the country's 51 million people - raising fears about a major spike with a three-day weekend starting in South Korea from Saturday.

Despite the outbreak and calls to avoid large gatherings, right-wing protesters rallied yesterday against President Moon Jae-in's centre-left government in the heart of Seoul, over his real estate market policy and a series of sex scandals involving leaders of his administration.

Around 20,000 took part, according to Yonhap news agency.

With some carrying placards reading "Expel Moon Jae-in", the protest coincided with the National Liberation Day from Japan's 1910-1945 colonisation of the peninsula.

South Korea endured one of the worst early Covid-19 outbreaks outside mainland China but brought it broadly under control with extensive tracing and testing, while never imposing the kind of lockdowns ordered in much of Europe and other parts of the world.

But persistent outbreaks in recent weeks, mostly in the densely populated capital area, are threatening to undo the country's success in battling the pandemic.

  • 166

    Number of new cases in South Korea yesterday.

    15,039

    Total number of infections in the country.

    305

    Number of deaths.

The country even started allowing limited numbers of spectators at sports games in July - which was reversed for the greater Seoul region on Saturday.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on August 16, 2020, with the headline Seoul faces stricter Covid-19 measures as South Korea stands at 'critical juncture'. Subscribe