ⓒYONHAP News

A joint government-private committee launched on Wednesday to draw up a plan for the nation to transition to the so-called "with COVID-19" system of gradually easing restrictions.

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum and Choe Jae-chun, chair professor at Ewha Womans University, are co-chairs, and close to 40 officials and experts will address livelihood issues, society/culture, public safety, quarantine and health care.

During the inaugural meeting, Kim said the committee will look into adopting a vaccine pass for those fully immunized to ease social distancing rules when they visit multipurpose facilities.

The prime minister also emphasized the need for an "inclusive normalization," referring to small business owners who suffered big losses and witnessed the widening of the socioeconomic gap amid the prolonged pandemic.

The committee is expected to collect opinions from various sectors in society, before announcing the step-by-step roadmap by the end of this month.

It is expected to go into effect at the beginning of next month.

South Korea will also begin administering COVID-19 booster shots for medical workers on Tuesday.

According to the state vaccination task force on Monday, the third shots will be administered in phases from Tuesday for medical workers who completed their initial series at least six months ago.

There are approximately 45-thousand workers at 160 hospitals and medical institutions who can now receive the third shot.

Those who received their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine between March 20 and April 2 are subject to additional shots set for Tuesday until October 30.