The Education Ministry said on Wednesday that it was considering opening the new semester with online classes. 

In a statement, the ministry said that opening physical classrooms and providing online classes are both on the table. 

It said online classes were being reviewed given the possibility that some schools, either on an individual or regional level, may face further postponement of the new semester due to novel coronavirus infections involving students or faculty members. 

The ministry said it is also working on new school guidelines regarding the recognition of online classes as legally viable. 

Last week, Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae announced a plan to push back the opening of the spring semester by two more weeks to April sixth due to concerns about student and staff safety amid the coronavirus epidemic. The ministry had initially delayed school openings by one week in February and then by two weeks earlier this month.