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South Korean Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum presides over a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters at the Central Government Complex in Seoul on Sunday. (Yonhap News)

South Korea will waive mandatory quarantine for some travelers who have been fully vaccinated overseas starting next month on an application basis, depending on the purpose of their visit.

The exemption applies to those traveling to South Korea to visit immediate family members or for the purposes of business, academic work or the public interest, South Korean Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said on Sunday.

Kim added that the current level of social distancing will remain in place for another three weeks.

“The new measure is expected to help South Koreans living abroad, international students and entrepreneurs who haven’t been able to return home for a while,” Kim said, while presiding over a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters at the Central Government Complex in Seoul on the same day.

“The existing screening measures won’t be affected,” he added.

The government will also reorganize the levels of social distancing while extending the current level for three additional weeks from Monday.

“The current maximum occupancy rule for concerts and outdoor sports games will be relaxed after a trial period to make sure it won’t compromise the situation,” Kim said.

Revised distancing rules have already gone into effect in North and South Gyeongsang provinces and South Jeolla Province. They will also go into effect in Gangwon Province starting Monday, according to Kim.

The government plans to begin discussions on introducing a universal vaccination certificate for international travel with countries where the COVID-19 situation is under control.

By Song Chae Kyung-hwa, staff reporter

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