The government is considering further lowering the size of private gatherings and restricting business hours of multi-use facilities as part of efforts to contain a recent surge in COVID-19 infections in the nation. 

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum revealed the move while presiding over a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on Wednesday. 

Kim said the government views the current situation as very grave and plans to implement further strengthened social distancing measures. 

He said the government will also come up with compensation measures for small business owners and the self-employed who will likely be strongly impacted by the potential measures. 

Since Monday of last week, the government has limited the size of private gatherings to up to six people in the Seoul metropolitan area and eight people outside the region amid a hike in daily COVID-19 cases. 

The upcoming measures will likely cause an effective suspension to the transition scheme called “living with COVID-19” at least for the time being.

The government is expected to announce the new measures on Friday.