During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Korean government made mask-wearing mandatory in public places and high-traffic shared facilities to slow the spread of infection. Violations were subject to a fine. This document summarizes the key details of those mask-wearing rules as they were in force at the time.
Current situation: As of May 1, 2024, the last remaining mask-wearing requirements — which applied to hospital-level medical institutions and residential care facilities for vulnerable groups — were downgraded to recommendations. Mask-wearing in Korea is no longer a legal requirement. Voluntary wearing is still encouraged in places where infection risk is higher.
Facilities Covered by the Rules
The mask-wearing requirement applied to all of the following:
- Medical and care facilities
- Protest and demonstration sites
- Gatherings or events with 500 or more attendees
- Public transport, including buses, subways, and taxis
- The 23 categories of “multi-use facilities” listed below
List of 23 Multi-Use Facility Categories
| Category | Facility Types |
|---|---|
| Entertainment & leisure | 5 types of adult entertainment venues (clubs, hostess bars, etc.), karaoke rooms, arcades and multi-bang (multi-purpose leisure rooms) |
| Performances & exhibitions | Indoor standing-only concert venues, performance halls, cinemas |
| Food & drink | Restaurants, cafes |
| Retail & distribution | Direct-sales and marketing showrooms, shops, supermarkets, and department stores |
| Sports & personal care | Indoor sports facilities, hair salons and barbershops |
| Education | Tutoring academies, vocational training centers, reading rooms and study cafes |
| Hygiene & ceremonies | Bathhouses, wedding halls, funeral halls |
| Digital | PC rooms (internet cafes) |
| Recreation & leisure | Amusement parks and water parks |
Approved Mask Types
Not every mask counted. Here is what was and was not accepted.
Masks that met the requirements
- KF94 masks
- KF80 masks
- KF-AD (droplet-blocking) masks
- Cloth masks
- Dental / general disposable masks
Masks that did not meet the requirements
- Valve-type masks (the exhale valve lets breath out unfiltered, so they do not protect others)
- Mesh masks
Fine
Violating the mask requirement could result in a fine of up to 100,000 won (roughly US $75 at the time).
Exemptions
The following people and situations were exempt from the requirement, meaning no fine would be issued:
- Children under 14 years old
- Medical reasons: Where there was a medical opinion that wearing a mask made breathing difficult, or where the person had difficulty putting on and taking off a mask by themselves due to a developmental disability or similar condition
- Eating or drinking: Masks could be temporarily removed while actively eating or drinking
- Swimming: Masks were not required while in the water. However, wearing a mask was still required in pool and bathhouse areas outside the water itself
- Broadcasting: When appearing on or hosting a broadcast, where removing the mask was necessary for the work
- Outdoors with sufficient distancing: In an outdoor setting where a distance of at least 2 meters from others could be maintained
How the Requirements Were Lifted
As the COVID-19 situation stabilized, mask requirements were removed gradually in stages.
| Period | Key Change |
|---|---|
| May 2022 | Mask requirement lifted for most outdoor settings |
| September 2022 | Mask requirement lifted for all outdoor settings |
| January 30, 2023 | Requirement lifted for most indoor settings (public transport, medical institutions, pharmacies, and high-risk care facilities remained) |
| March 20, 2023 | Requirement lifted for public transport and open-counter pharmacies |
| June 1, 2023 | Requirement lifted for clinics and pharmacies (hospital-level institutions and residential care facilities for vulnerable groups remained) |
| May 1, 2024 | Requirement lifted for hospital-level institutions and residential care facilities — all indoor requirements fully ended |
Current Mask-Wearing Recommendations
There is no longer any legal obligation to wear a mask, but wearing one is still encouraged in the following situations:
- When you have respiratory symptoms or are feeling unwell
- When visiting places with many vulnerable people, such as hospitals or nursing homes
- When you are in a high-risk group yourself (older adults, people with weakened immune systems, etc.) and are in an enclosed space
For the most up-to-date guidance, visit the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) official website or call 1339 (the KDCA helpline).