From Next Month, 'Mask 5-Day Rotation System' Abolished... "Purchase Regardless of Day"

Increase in Purchase Quantity for Under 18... From 3 to 5 Items

On the 26th, one day before the mandatory mask-wearing policy on airplanes takes effect, airport users are wearing masks and moving toward the boarding gate at the domestic terminal of Gimpo Airport in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Starting next month, the 'mask 5-day rotation system' will be abolished. Public masks can be purchased regardless of birth year. The number of masks that elementary, middle, and high school students under 18 can purchase will increase from 3 to 5 in preparation for in-person classes.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on the 29th, "As the mask supply situation has improved, the 5-day rotation system for purchasing masks by day of the week will be abolished starting June 1."

Until now, public masks could be purchased on designated days according to birth year, but from now on, public masks can be purchased directly or by proxy regardless of birth year.

However, the system to check for duplicate mask purchases will be maintained. The purchase method remains the same: bring a valid ID and buy masks either all at once or spread out over different days. For proxy purchases, documents verifying both the proxy buyer and the person on whose behalf the purchase is made must be prepared.

Elementary, middle, and high school students and kindergarteners born after 2002, who are under 18, will be able to purchase 5 public masks per week. This is to ensure that students can attend classes safely in line with in-person schooling.

In addition, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will double the production of surgical (dental) masks and support imports in preparation for the summer season. A new category of 'droplet-blocking masks' that can be worn for long periods in daily life will also be introduced. Droplet-blocking masks are general-use masks comfortable for summer, which block droplets to prevent infection while being lightweight and breathable. The ministry stated, "We will actively support the rapid approval and production of droplet-blocking masks."

To increase private distribution of masks, the mandatory supply ratio that mask manufacturers must provide to the government will be lowered from 80% to 60%. Also, starting next month, limited exports of up to 10% of production volume will be allowed only for health masks. The government has basically banned mask exports since March. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said, "To support international cooperation in COVID-19 response and provide opportunities for K-quarantine products overseas, we will allow exports within a range that does not affect domestic mask supply."

However, to minimize supply impacts from large-scale exports of masks in private distribution, only health mask manufacturers or specialized trading companies with export contracts with them will be allowed to export. Surgical masks are excluded from this measure as they are used for medical purposes such as patient care.

Furthermore, the ministry plans to stockpile about 100 million masks by the end of September for long-term COVID-19 preparedness. The ministry said, "If a situation arises where masks are urgently needed again, we will quickly supply masks using the stockpile until domestic mask supply stabilizes."