Indoor Mask Mandate Lifted Starting Today... Schools and Hagwons Still in 'Confusion'

Integrated Bus and Choir Classes... Many Exceptions, Wearing Required for the Time Being

On the 30th, students of Gwangjang Elementary School in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, where the indoor mask-wearing mandate was lifted, are attending school. Most students wore masks to school. From midnight on this day, the government adjusted the indoor mask-wearing mandate to a recommendation, except for certain facilities such as public transportation, medical facilities, and vulnerable infection facilities. Photo by Younghan Heo younghan@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] "I'm still more accustomed to wearing a mask."

On the morning of the 30th, the first day indoor mask-wearing mandates were lifted, in front of Gwangjang Elementary School in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. A school bus carrying children arrived at the school gate, and the children on the bus lined up to get off. Since mask-wearing is still mandatory on kindergarten and school commuting vehicles, the children who were wearing masks on the bus did not take them off after getting off. Most other children also wore masks while going to school.

Although the government lifted the indoor mask-wearing mandate, it was not easy to find students without masks at schools and other places. This is because there are many exceptions to the rule and concerns about COVID-19 infection remain.

On the 27th, the Ministry of Education announced detailed guidelines related to lifting the indoor mask mandate. For the first time in about three years, students can attend classes without masks in school classrooms or academies. When taking physical education classes in indoor gymnasiums, masks are not required if there is little droplet spread.

However, masks must still be worn when using school or academy commuting buses. This reflects the measure that the mask mandate continues on public transportation even after the indoor mask mandate is lifted.

Accordingly, students must wear masks when using school commuting buses, academy buses, or group buses related to school events such as school trips and field trips. Drivers of commuting and group buses must also wear masks. Failure to comply will result in fines under the "Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act."

The Ministry of Education also advised actively recommending indoor mask-wearing in cases such as △ choir classes in classrooms or auditoriums △ situations where it is difficult to maintain a physical distance of 1 meter from others in indoor gymnasium spectator seats and there is a lot of droplet generation due to group cheering △ singing school songs or the national anthem at indoor entrance or graduation ceremonies △ and other situations where many people are densely gathered indoors and droplet-generating activities are frequent, as judged necessary by the school principal.

With these various exceptions, students and parents have chosen to continue wearing masks for now. Kang Ihyun (41), mother of two elementary school children, said, "Since COVID-19 is not completely over and there is still concern about infection, I advised my children to wear masks for the time being," adding, "The children said they are so used to wearing masks that not wearing them feels awkward."

Academies are individually maintaining mask-wearing mandates. In the case of Jongno Academy, due to the risk of group infections, they plan to consider lifting the mask mandate in the future. Since hundreds of examinees spend a lot of time in one space, there is a risk of group infection. Lim Seong-ho, CEO of Jongno Academy, said, "We will decide whether to go no-mask after observing the situation," and added, "We want to watch the situation steadily without making hasty changes."

Thus, confusion over "no mask" policies at schools and academies is expected to continue for the time being. From this week to next week, 2,910 elementary, middle, and high schools nationwide, accounting for 25% of all schools, will start the new semester. The Ministry of Education plans to monitor the situation on the ground and provide clear quarantine guidelines before most schools officially open in March. A Ministry of Education official said, "Before the new semester starts, we plan to provide school quarantine guidelines including self-diagnosis app use, temperature checks, ventilation, and disinfection."