South Korea has decided to further relax its social distancing rules from Wednesday amid clear signs of a slowdown in the number of new coronavirus infections.

In a briefing after a government meeting on COVID-19 on Sunday, Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said the government will end its weeks-long social distancing campaign and implement a "distancing in daily life" scheme from Wednesday.

Park stressed the shift does not mean the end of the outbreak, adding the everyday life quarantine scheme is meant to maintain distance among people in normal life, not to allow a return to pre-COVID-19 habits.

Under the plan, the government will allow gatherings and events under the condition that they follow quarantine guidelines. 

It will also allow public facilities to resume operation in phases, beginning with national parks, indoor sports facilities, galleries and museums.