Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum has instructed government agencies to actively carry out on-site inspections of quarantine conditions with the resolve that this week is the last opportunity to stop the fourth wave of the pandemic. 

Kim made the remarks on Tuesday during a government meeting on COVID-19 response, saying that while growth in cases has slightly declined in the Seoul metro area, infections in the nation, overall, are continuously on the rise. 

The prime minister urged the public to stay home during summer vacation, citing that despite quarantine authorities’ calls, many are not wearing masks at vacation spots and some hotels were caught operating late hours or opening pool parties in violation of administrative orders. 

Kim emphasized the need for the public to wear masks, saying even the U.S. and other countries that have high vaccination rates are calling on citizens to wear masks and abide by basic quarantine regulations amid the fast spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19 worldwide.