South Korea has decided to raise social distancing rules by one notch to Level Two-point-Five in the capital region and to Level Two in other parts of the nation amid a third wave of COVID-19 infections.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters announced the move on Sunday, saying the capital region has entered a phase of full-pledged spread of the virus and the country is on the verge of a nationwide spread. 

Under Level Two-point-Five, the second highest in the country's five-tier COVID-19 alert system, door-to-door sales businesses, karaoke rooms, indoor sports facilities and indoor concert venues that offer standing shows will be forced to close.

Supermarkets, department stores, movie theaters and internet cafes will have to close by 9 p.m. 

Restaurants cannot receive customers after 9 p.m. but can offer takeout and delivery. Cafes are only allowed to serve takeout at all hours.

Gatherings with 50 or more people are banned, while public transportation, such as KTX bullet trains and express buses, will have to operate at half of their capacities. 

The tougher rules will be enforced for three weeks starting Tuesday. 

The enhancement comes as the country's daily infections reached an average of 514-point-four in the recent week, with the capital region seeing more than 400 new daily cases over the past four days.