South Korea's Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said the country must remain vigilant in its fight against COVID-19, considering mass movements of people during the recent Chuseok holiday.

At a meeting with officials on Monday, Park urged the public to continue to maintain social distancing as the two-week special quarantine period is set to end on Sunday.

The minister said there were 312 new local infections during the five-day holiday, with a majority from the Seoul metro area, the southeastern port city of Busan and North Gyeongsang Province.

Park asked that anyone experiencing symptoms, such as fever or cough, after traveling during the holiday to get tested, and for those with elderly parents in hometowns to check up on them for symptoms.

The minister also called for adherence to quarantine guidelines, including the use of masks in the workplace, eating in small groups and postponing events involving mass gatherings of people.