[Report] "Only the nose was covered"... Citizens Feeling Cautious on the First Day of Public Transport Mask Removal

From the 20th, Public Transport Also 'No Mask'
Travel Industry: "Travel Sentiment Will Increase"
Daily Cases Still Near 10,000
Experts: "Citizens Will Keep Wearing Masks for a While"

"The doors are opening." At 7 a.m. on the 20th, Han Mo (30), who was on his way to work, looked inside the subway car as the doors opened at Dongmyo Station on Seoul Subway Line 1, holding a mask in his hand. Han, who had experienced symptoms of panic disorder such as difficulty breathing, cold sweat, and dizziness whenever he wore a mask on public transportation, was curious about how many people were taking off their masks. However, the subway was still full of people wearing masks. Feeling self-conscious, Han only exposed his nose and did not fully remove his mask as he headed to work. He said, "Maybe because it was the first day of the mask mandate being lifted, most people were still wearing masks," adding, "At least I could show my nose, so it was somewhat better."

On the 20th, when the mandatory mask-wearing policy on public transportation such as buses, subways, and taxis was fully lifted, most passengers using Subway Line 3 were still wearing masks. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

From the 20th, the government lifted the mask-wearing mandate on public transportation, in large facilities such as marts and stations, and in open pharmacies. This comes 29 months after mask-wearing was made mandatory in October 2020, when COVID-19 began to spread.

Citizens welcomed the change, as it meant finally being free from the discomfort. Park Junho (30), whom we met on his way to work that day, said, "I once forgot my mask and had to go back home, missing the bus and arriving late to work," adding, "Now that we can ride buses and subways without masks, that won’t happen anymore."

Industries benefiting from the lifting of quarantine measures also expressed their delight. With the mask mandate lifted and the arrival of warm spring weather, there is an expectation that more people will engage in outdoor activities. Heo Yul, head of the PR team at Norangpungseon, said, "The lifting of the mask mandate on public transportation may not immediately impact the travel industry’s recovery, but it will boost people’s travel sentiment," adding, "Since this measure symbolizes the endemic phase of COVID-19, the travel industry is hopeful."

Beneficiary Industries Welcome Mask Mandate Lift... But Citizens Still Wearing Masks

[Image source=Yonhap News]

However, on the morning of the 20th, not many people were seen without masks. During the morning commute, people still wore masks as they boarded subways and buses. Around 7 a.m., on bus number 109, only two out of about 40 passengers were not wearing masks. At the same time, at Seoul Subway Bulgwang Station platform, people waited for the train while wearing masks.

The same was true in large facilities. Inside Seoul Station, about 2 to 3 out of every 10 people walked around without masks. They only briefly lowered their masks when drinking beverages, immediately putting them back on. Customers at pharmacies inside Seoul Station also wore masks while ordering medicine. Jeong Mo (42), who runs a pharmacy, said, "Not a single person came to buy medicine without a mask today," adding, "It seemed like everyone wanted to keep wearing masks inside the train cars."

Although the mask mandate was mostly lifted, citizens still expressed anxiety. On the 17th, the number of new COVID-19 cases was recorded at 9,259, with nearly 10,000 people infected. The health authorities have lifted the mask mandate on public transportation but still recommend wearing masks during commuting hours. Ahn Iju (26), whom we met on the subway, said, "I work at a hospital, so I have to wear a mask anyway," adding, "I think this measure is for people vulnerable to infection." Jang Mo (34), who commuted by bus that day, said, "There are people around me who have caught COVID-19 twice, so I still feel uneasy," adding, "I plan to keep wearing a mask during my commute for the time being."

Some people said they felt embarrassed to take off their masks. Pilates instructor Lee Seonhwa (26) said, "I asked the members at Pilates to take off their masks and look at each other’s faces, but everyone was shy and still wears masks indoors," adding, "Thanks to masks, I’ve gotten used to not wearing makeup."

Professor Eom Jung-sik, an infectious disease specialist at Gachon University Gil Medical Center, said, "The timing of lifting the mask mandate on public transportation is appropriate," but added, "Citizens still view public transportation as a high-risk area for COVID-19 infection, and since masks also protect against fine dust and the spread of the flu, people will not easily stop wearing them."