President Yoon Suk Yeol effectively declared that COVID-19 has become an endemic disease as he announced that the government was lowering the crisis level for the virus from the highest "serious" to "alert" on the four-tier scale, with eased measures coming into force in June.

Presiding over a COVID-19 meeting on Thursday, Yoon expressed happiness that the South Korean people will be able to restore normalcy in their daily lives after three years and four months.

The president said that the current seven-day mandatory quarantine imposed on infected patients will be adjusted to a five-day recommended quarantine starting from next month. Advised PCR testing upon entry into the country will also be lifted.

The remaining indoor mask mandate will be lifted for all locations, except for medical facilities with wards for hospitalization.

Taking note of the commitment and effort made by many people during the pandemic and on the path to normalization, the president thanked the medical and health care communities, local governments and health authorities for their hard work.