The government plans to gradually lift the COVID-19 pass system beginning with low-risk facilities, once the situation stabilizes.

Senior health ministry official Son Young-rae on Thursday said if the virus spread begins to wind down and the medical system has sufficient capacity, distancing rules will also be eased 

This includes gradually lifting the COVID-19 pass system starting with Tier Three facilities, which are low risk, such as libraries, PC cafes and movie theaters. Tier One, or high risk facilities, includes bars and clubs, while Tier Two includes restaurants, cafes and indoor gyms.

Son assessed that stricter distancing rules and the expanded COVID-19 pass system are proving to be effective in lowering new infections. 

He stressed that expanding the pass system to more multi-use facilities had a bigger impact in lowering infections than other distancing rules.