South Korea orders ski resort, winter tourism shutdown to curb COVID-19 spread
22 December, 2020
South Korea on Tuesday (Dec 22) moved to shut down all ski resorts and winter tourist spots in a bid to avoid COVID-19 spreading as a third wave of the pandemic proves much tougher to contain in the densely populated region of the administrative centre city.
From Dec 24 to Jan 3, the government will close ski facilities and tourist attractions, popular through the year-end season, said Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, speaking during a televised briefing.
Gatherings of more than four people will never be permitted, he said, while tighter anti-virus curbs will be imposed on restaurants to tamp down infections.
The announcement employs Seoul and surrounding areas banned gatherings greater than four people over the Christmas and New Year holidays with the country recording its highest daily death toll from the coronavirus on Monday.
South Korea reported 869 new coronavirus cases by Monday midnight, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said on Tuesday, down from the daily record of just one 1,097 reported over the weekend.
The rash of new cases has shaken a country which has for months been organized as a mitigation success story. The brand new cases bring the nation's tally to 51,460 infections, with 722 deaths.
"The message the federal government is urging the persons is clear," Chung said. "We sincerely request you to cancel all travels and gatherings and stay home during Christmas and New Year holidays."
The national government has up to now resisted calls to impose Phase 3 in the country's anti-COVID-19 plans, the toughest of most categorised social distancing rules that could essentially lock down Asia's fourth-largest economy.
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