National Affairs

The government made all-out efforts to contain the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and prevent its further spread at the national level. This page contains all government policies and actions toward this end, the latest news and updated information on the situation.



🎧 Immigration violators to avoid fines if they get 3rd vaccine shot by April

🎧 Immigration violators to avoid fines if they get 3rd vaccine shot by April

Foreign nationals staying illegally in Korea in March 2020 wait in line at the southern Seoul office of the Korea Immigration Service to report their voluntarily departur...

Jan 26,2022

🎧 Vaccine pass rule lifted at dept. stores, big marts, academies

🎧 Vaccine pass rule lifted at dept. stores, big marts, academies

The lifting of the vaccine pass system of presenting vaccination verification or a negative result of a COVID-19 test took effect on Jan. 18 at six types of multi-use fac...

Jan 18,2022

All int'l arrivals to be banned from using mass transit to leave airport

All int'l arrivals to be banned from using mass transit to leave airport

The Central Disease Control Headquarters from Jan. 20 will strengthen quarantine measures on everyone entering Korea from abroad. Shown here on the morning of Nov. 5, 202...

Jan 14,2022

Oral medication for COVID-19 to first go to elderly, those with lower immunity

Oral medication for COVID-19 to first go to elderly, those with lower immunity

Korea from Jan. 13 will start prescribing oral medication for COVID-19. Pictured is an official (left) from the public health center of Incheon's Bupyeong-gu Office on th...

Jan 12,2022

🎧 Gov't secures anti-COVID-19 oral pills for 400K more people

🎧 Gov't secures anti-COVID-19 oral pills for 400K more people

The government on Jan. 5 concluded a deal with Pfizer on pills to treat COVID-19 for an additional 400,000 people. Shown here is Pfizer's Paxlovid produced in Ascoli Pice...

Jan 06,2022

🎧 Social distancing extended 2 weeks, vaccine pass rule widened

🎧 Social distancing extended 2 weeks, vaccine pass rule widened

Social distancing measures limiting the number of people in a private gathering to four and imposing a 9 p.m. curfew for restaurants and cafes will be extended for two we...

Dec 31,2021

🎧 Homegrown PCR test for COVID-19 detects omicron in just 3-4 hours

🎧 Homegrown PCR test for COVID-19 detects omicron in just 3-4 hours

The country from Dec. 30 began to use a homegrown PCR test that can detect the omicron variant of COVID-19 in a confirmed case in just three to four hours. Shown here is ...

Dec 30,2021

🎧 7,000 more foreign workers to be allowed entry next year

🎧 7,000 more foreign workers to be allowed entry next year

The government next year will allow 7,000 more foreign workers to enter the country under the "non-professional" (E-9) employee visa to raise the overall number to 59,000...

Dec 29,2021

Oral drugs to treat COVID-19 to arrive as early as next month

Oral drugs to treat COVID-19 to arrive as early as next month

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Dec. 27 said the country as early as next month will introduce an oral drug to treat COVID-19. (Yonhap News) By Pa...

Dec 28,2021

Deal on Pfizer oral medication for COVID-19 in final stage: PM

Deal on Pfizer oral medication for COVID-19 in final stage: PM

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum on Dec. 24 chairs a meeting on responding to the COVID-19 pandemic of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters at Governme...

Dec 24,2021