The government has decided to extend current social distancing regulations by two more weeks. 

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum announced the decision in his opening remarks of a government meeting on the COVID-19 response in Seoul on Friday. 

Under current protocols, which were due to expire on Sunday, up to six people can gather nationwide, and restaurants and coffee shops should close up at 9:00 p.m. 

The prime minister said that there were calls for partial lifts, but the government decided to keep the measures to curb the rapid spread of the omicron variant after the Lunar New Year holiday. 

Kim added that the government will focus its efforts on enforcing response measures specifically for the omicron variant for the next two weeks.

He also said the eligibility age for COVID-19 treatment pills will be lowered from 60 to 50 starting Monday.