Shoppers wear masks at a book store in Seoul on Dec. 4, 2022. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — Close to half of all South Koreans intend to keep their masks on indoors even after the indoor mask mandate is lifted, a survey showed Monday.
Real Research Korea conducted a survey of 3,800 South Korean men and women, 44.6 percent of whom intended to keep their masks on even if the rule is relaxed.
Others planned to take their masks off if there were enough people doing the same (34.2 percent). Some planned to take their masks off immediately after the mandate is lifted (21.2 percent).
When asked about the agency that should decide upon indoor mask rules, 48.4 percent pointed to the central government, while 39.1 percent pointed to regional authorities.
When asked about how effective the indoor mask mandate was against the prevention of COVID-19, 37.8 percent said it has been more or less effective.
Others said that the regulations have been very effective (30.5 percent), neither effective nor ineffective (18.6 percent), barely effective (8.2 percent) or ineffective (3 percent).
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
