The government has urged South Koreans to refrain from visiting their hometowns or traveling at all during the upcoming Chuseok holiday, noting that accommodation reservations were on the rise at major tourist destinations.

In a COVID-19 briefing Saturday held by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, Second Vice Health Minister Kang Do-tae said that reservations for lodgings at key tourist spots in Gangwon Province and Jeju Island were rising, according to media reports. He warned that crowded places can increase the risk of infection.

He reiterated the call for citizens not to travel during Chuseok so that the holiday period does not serve to reignite a resurgence in the outbreak.

Kang said that daily cases are declining, but at a slow pace, while worldwide COVID-19 infections have surpassed the 30 million mark. He said Korea must not lower its guard and strictly abide by basic quarantine guidelines, including mask wearing and social distancing.

The vice minister asked the public to avoid visiting venues used by lots of people and engage in religious activities online this weekend. He said people must abide by quarantine rules when they visit markets or department stores to buy food and gifts for Chuseok.