In South Korea, a curfew from 9 p.m. will apply to the capital Seoul from tomorrow (local time) in view of new highs in the number of coronavirus infections. Mayor Seo Jeong Hyup justified the measure today with 295 new cases in the metropolis, in which around ten million people live. South Korea as a whole registered the highest number of daily infections in nine months with 629 new infections.
The government called on the population to give up Christmas and New Year celebrations. Prime Minister Chung Sye Kyun announced that a decision should be made on Sunday whether a decision will be taken to close the approximately 30,000 karaoke bars in the country and whether religious gatherings will be limited to a maximum of 20 participants.
Worries about entrance exams for universities
It is also being considered to exclude fans of sporting events and to allow social gatherings with a maximum of 50 people. The upcoming university entrance exams are a cause for concern. Because then over 200,000 first-year students travel through the country. Karaoke bars and internet cafes are particularly popular with them.
In South Korea, the pandemic was relatively mild over the summer, having reached highs in February and March. According to official information, a total of 36,332 people have been infected with the pathogen, 536 of them have died.
