S.Koreans return to work, crowd parks, malls as social distancing rules ease

Netmarble

20/04/2020 06:25

By Hyonhee Shin and Heekyong Yang
    SEOUL, April 20 (Reuters) - South Koreans are returning to
work and crowding shopping malls, parks, golf courses and some
restaurants as South Korea relaxes social distancing rules amid
a continued downward trend in coronavirus cases. 
    A growing list of companies, including SK Innovation and
Naver, has ended or eased their work from home policy in recent
weeks, though many continue to apply flexible working hours and
limit travel and face-to-face meetings. 
    Parks, mountains and golf courses brimmed with visitors over
the weekend, while shopping malls and restaurants were slowly
returning to normal. 
    South Korea's ongoing recovery from the first major
coronavirus outbreak outside China paints a stark contrast to
many other countries where metropolises remain sealed off and
sweeping stay-at-home orders are in place. 
    "I'm a member of a community football club and we went out
to play on Saturday for the first time in two months," said Kim
Tae-hyung, a 31-year-old power plant engineer living in Seoul.
"We were wearing a mask while we played, still worried about the
coronavirus, but the weather was nice and I felt so refreshed."
    South Korea extended its social distancing policy for
another 16 days on Sunday but offered some relief for religious
and sports facilities previously subjected to strict
restrictions.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2C700T
    The decision is aimed at cautiously reopening Asia's
fourth-largest economy as daily infections continue to hover
around or less than 20, most arriving from overseas. 
    Seoul's defence ministry also said on Monday that the
military is resuming medical screening for candidates while
considering easing restrictions on travel and guest visits. 
    The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC)
reported 13 new cases on Monday, a day after posting just eight
-- the first single digit daily rise since the Feb. 28 peak of
909. The death toll stands at 236. 
    Health authorities urged vigilance, warning new clusters
could still emerge at any time, especially after South Korea
held the first national election last week since the epidemic
began, and ahead of long holidays starting next week. 
    Schools have yet to open and are holding online classes.  
    An official at SK Innovation  096770.KS , a battery maker,
said about 80% of its employees will be back this week and they
will get a temperature check at the entrance and maintain
distance in the office. 
    Naver Corp.  035420.KS , which operates South Korea's
largest web portal, said it is allowing less than half its 
employees to come into the office, while employees at Netmarble
 251270.KS , a mobile gaming firm, come into the office three
days a week.
    "We have installed thermal cameras, full-body sterilisers,
and table partitions at cafeterias," Naver said in a statement. 
    Authorities were on alert after a 58-year-old man living in
the second largest city of Busan was confirmed with the virus on
Saturday and had voted in the election, attended Easter church
service and visited restaurants while running symptoms. 
    More than 1,000 people are now quarantined or being checked
after coming in contact with that man and his daughter, who is a
nurse and has also tested positive, city officials said. 
    "We're looking at the trend of group infections though it
has mostly been small clusters over the past two weeks," Vice
Health Minister Kim Gang-lip told a briefing. 
    "If we let our guard down in social distancing, (the virus)
could come back and greatly hurt and endanger our society." 

 (Reporting by Hyonhee Shin and Heekyong Yang; Additional
reporting by Sangmi Cha; Editing by Michael Perry)
 ((hyonhee.shin@thomsonreuters.com; 822 6936 1474;))