Abolishing the Mask 5-Day Rotation Is a 'Small Victory' in the COVID-19 War

On the first day of the abolition of the public mask purchase 5-day rotation system on the 1st, a citizen is buying a mask at a pharmacy street in Jongno 5-ga, Seoul. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced that, as the mask supply situation has improved, anyone can now purchase public masks at pharmacies nationwide on any desired day starting today. Those aged 19 and over can purchase 3 masks per person as before, while elementary, middle, and high school students under 18, as well as kindergarteners, can purchase up to 5 masks. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] "When the situation was bad, 80% of the entire workforce had to go to the mask production sites to manage supply and demand. It was that desperate." (Official from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety)

With the abolition of the mask 5-day rotation system on the 1st, the desperate mask supply situation has eased. Although it experienced a crisis comparable to a 'small war' against the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the market is quickly regaining stability by balancing supply and demand. Now, the inconvenience of long lines and chaotic situations like hoarding have disappeared.

According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, from this day forward, public masks can be purchased regardless of birth year. It is possible to buy all three masks in one day or split the purchase over two or more days. Adolescents under 18 years old can buy up to five masks in preparation for attending school. Considering that the entire country was once engulfed in turmoil due to the mask crisis, this can be regarded as a 'small victory' overcoming a critical phase of the COVID-19 situation.

The average daily domestic mask production increased sharply from 3 million units in December last year to 14.66 million units recently. This is a 389% increase in three months. The mandatory supply ratio that mask manufacturers must provide to the government was also lowered from 80% to 60% of production. For health masks, exports are allowed within 10% of production volume.

There were many twists and turns before the mask situation improved. A quarantine official said, "When the whole country was suffering from the mask crisis, the government focused all its capabilities on expanding mask supply," adding, "Almost daily, numbers were tallied, and all ministries had to get involved."

The 'Mask Supply Related Ministries Task Force (TF),' launched around the time the mask controversy began, was effectively an inter-ministerial organization that fully supported mask production. From deregulation of permits by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to fire prevention measures at mask production sites by the Fire Agency, almost all ministries competitively issued support policies day after day.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the main ministry in charge of masks, also faced continuous emergencies. An official from the ministry said, "Even third-grade directors at the deputy director level went out to production sites to support mask production, leaving offices almost empty for a while," and self-assessed, "The abolition of the mask 5-day rotation system is very meaningful in that regard."

The government's mask response stands out even more when compared to other countries. Japan is still experiencing mask shortages that began at the end of January, and the United States and Europe started securing masks late but are struggling to obtain sufficient quantities. Meanwhile, many countries envy the KF (Korea Filter) masks for their high quality and smooth supply, and the number of countries requesting KF masks is rapidly increasing.

A quarantine official said, "Many citizens seem to feel firsthand that our country's situation is relatively improving while watching the mask crises in various overseas countries," and added, "The abolition of the mask 5-day rotation system signifies a meaningful achievement in the war against COVID-19."