The government has announced that it will lift the indoor mask mandate from January 30.

In his opening remarks for a government meeting on COVID-19 responses, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said a plan on lifting the mandate for most indoor spaces from January 30 will be discussed and finalized in the meeting.

Earlier, health authorities had said the indoor masking restrictions will be downgraded to a recommendation through two stages, and the nation will enter the first stage upon meeting two out of four criteria.

The four criteria are a stable number of daily infections, a reduction in critical cases and deaths, a sufficient capacity of ICU beds to treat critically ill patients and an acceptable immunity level within high-risk groups.

The prime minister said that three out of the four have reached target figures, with booster vaccination coverage among the elderly the only exception.

However, the mandate will remain in place for the time being at hospitals, pharmacies and public transportation.