PM instructs authorities to prepare for full-fledged in-person schooling in H2

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum on Wednesday called for careful preparations toward full-fledged in-person schooling starting in the second half, as the COVID-19 vaccination campaign picks up speed across the nation.

"As we concentrated our efforts on vaccinations of senior citizens and high-risk group people in the first half, we must start the recovery of our everyday normal lives in the second half starting with the normalization of schools," Kim said during a daily interagency meeting on the country's coronavirus response at the government complex in Sejong.

Kim then instructed the education ministry to prepare for full normalization of in-person schooling starting in the school semester in the second half.

He also called on authorities to consult with teachers in local schools to ensure vaccinations of high school seniors preparing for the national college entrance exam later this year.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 2.2 million people, or 4.3 percent of the total population, have been fully vaccinated, with 25,945 receiving their second jabs the previous day.

Health authorities expect over a quarter of the nation's population to get jabs by this month with the increased supply of vaccine doses, as part of a plan to achieve herd immunity by November.

Kim also pointed out that the nation on Wednesday marked the 500th day since a COVID-19 case was first reported in South Korea and asked for the public to stick to antivirus guidelines in order for the country to return to normal life before the pandemic. (Yonhap)