The government will decide on Friday whether to change or maintain the current Level Four distancing in the capital area and Level Three distancing for everywhere else, which both expire on Sunday.

In a COVID-19 government response meeting on Wednesday, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum invited local and central government entities to suggest complementary measures to enhance current quarantine efforts as he promised to evaluate whether current guidelines should be revised. 

Observers say the government is likely to keep the current distancing levels amid the continued high number of COVID-19 cases and as the nation reported two Delta plus variant cases. 

The government, however, may opt to partially change the strict curbs as small businesses are facing growing hardship due to the rule that limits private gatherings after 6 p.m. to only two people.

Earlier in the day, Kim concurred with this view. While on a local radio program, the prime minister said - while social distancing is effective in terms of quarantine - the government must also take into consideration the devastating blow to small businesses and self-employed people.