South Korea will ease attendance caps for schools from Monday, in line with eased social distancing guidelines.

According to the educational community on Sunday, the attendance cap – currently set at one-third in kindergartens, elementary and middle schools, and two thirds in high schools – will be adjusted to two-thirds for all schools from Monday.

The Education Ministry announced the decision last Monday and gave a week for schools to prepare for the change.

The ministry plans to strictly enforce the cap in schools with high classroom density and those in the greater Seoul area in light of higher risks of the community spread of COVID-19, but schools in the non-capital regions will be allowed to further ease the cap depending on the level of the pandemic.

With this decision, first grade elementary school students in most regions are expected to attend in-person classes almost everyday.