Mask 5-Day Rotation Starting Tomorrow... 2 Masks Per Person, No Duplicate Purchases Allowed

On the 6th, citizens are purchasing masks at a pharmacy near Jongno 5-ga, Seoul. From this day onward, a duplicate purchase verification system has been established at pharmacies nationwide, requiring presentation of identification to buy masks. The purchase limit per person has been reduced from 5 masks to 2 masks per person. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Sia Economy Reporter Joo Sang-don] Starting tomorrow, the 5-day mask purchase system will be implemented. People can buy 2 masks per week according to the last digit of their birth year.

From midnight on the 9th, the 5-day system restricting public mask purchases by day of the week based on birth year will be fully enforced.

The mask 5-day system allows people to purchase masks on specific days according to the last digit of their birth year: ▲1 and 6 on Monday ▲2 and 7 on Tuesday ▲3 and 8 on Wednesday ▲4 and 9 on Thursday ▲5 and 0 on Friday. For example, someone born in 1983 can buy masks on Wednesday. However, if they miss their designated day, they can purchase masks at pharmacies open on Saturday and Sunday. Masks not purchased during the designated week will not be carried over to the following week.

Post offices and Nonghyup Hanaro Mart also plan to sell 2 masks per person per week in the same way as pharmacies once they establish a duplicate purchase verification system. However, it is expected to take about a week to set up this system, so until then, only 1 mask per person per day can be purchased.

Proxy purchases, where parents buy masks on behalf of their children, are generally not allowed. Minors must present their passport or student ID along with a resident registration certificate to buy masks themselves. If visiting with a parent, the parent’s ID and resident registration certificate can be used for purchase. Disabled persons can have a proxy purchase masks if the proxy carries the disabled person’s registration card.

However, President Moon Jae-in has ordered an expansion of the proxy receipt scope applied only to disabled persons under the 5-day system. Therefore, there is a possibility that the proxy receipt scope will be expanded before the mask 5-day system is implemented.