As more countries are lifting their mask-wearing rules, South Korea looks to keep its preventive mandate for now. 

Senior health official Son Young-rae during a Monday media briefing said that the government is currently taking early-phase steps to transition the country from a COVID-19 pandemic to an endemic.  

Citing uncertainty surrounding when the current round of omicron-led infections will reach its peak, Son said the authorities will conservatively take measures until then, after which quarantine rules would be eased. 

He said lifting the mask mandate would be a last-phase measure to consider, stressing that mask-wearing is the most efficient measure per cost.

Son's remarks come as some European countries, including the U.K. and France, as well as all continental U.S. states removed their mask-related regulations.