South Korean health officials started enforcing fines Friday of up to 100,000 won ($90) for people who are found not wearing any face coverings on public transport and in places like hospitals, bars, pharmacies, theme parks, nursing homes, religious and sports facilities, among other venues.
The move comes as the country reported 191 new COVID infections, with daily virus cases continuing to rise. Operators of said establishments could pay up to 3 million won in fines as South Korea seeks to better fight the disease.
The new measure also follows an end to a one-month grace period for the imposition of its amended infectious disease policy, which mandates people to wear face masks and follow all cleanliness and safety protocols in public places.
Exceptions will also be made for children under the age of 14 and those who are incapable of wearing a face covering on their own or because they have an underlying medical condition. Public venues subject to the new policy will depend on the government's five levels for social distancing.
Moreover, face coverings are not compulsory in certain situations, like when drinking or eating, inside pools or public showers, or when undergoing an identification check. Certain activities like mountain climbing, cycling, or walks in the park, are also allowed without masks on if people observe a distance of at least 2 meters apart.
The fine could also be enforced on those who refuse to wear their face masks properly, like under their noses in the specified venues. Scarves or certain types of face coverings that cannot protect others from the infection will not be allowed.
South Korea's 191 fresh cases Friday represented the sixth straight day infections topped 100 and were the highest daily surge since September 4, when health experts disclosed 198 new cases. The unabated increase has worried government authorities, who have loosened social distancing protocols to ease the virus's impact on the economy.
Seoul had been lauded for its aggressive response to the outbreak including rapid testing and contact tracing but has faced extreme difficulty in keeping small cluster outbreaks at bay, with daily cases nearing 100 in the past few days.
Of the new infections, 162 were local transmissions and more than half of the cases in the past two weeks came from densely packed downtown areas in the capital, health officials said. South Korea's total virus cases hit 27,800 with fatalities recorded at 487, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said.
