The government is mulling ways to widen the scope of people eligible for an exception from its COVID-19 pass system, with revisions to come soon. 

Senior health ministry official Son Young-rae in a radio interview on Tuesday said that the government announcement is likely to come before the end of the week. 

He said the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency is reviewing with experts ways to expand the scope which has been criticized by some as being too narrow. 

In the face of criticism over the pass system, the government lifted enforcement at department stores, large discount stores, movie theaters, museums, study rooms, libraries and cram schools from Tuesday.

Currently, people who are granted exemptions from the COVID-19 pass system are those coming out of isolation after recovering from COVID-19 and those who have delayed or been prohibited from getting their second vaccination after suffering an adverse reaction from the first. 

People who cannot be vaccinated due to immune deficiency or because they are taking immunosuppressive drugs are also exempt.