But the virus recent resurgence has been putting the brakes on expectations toward returning to pre-COVID normal life.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), Monday, the country added 711 more coronavirus infections, 644 of which were local, for Sunday, raising the total caseload to 160,795.
The nation s daily new virus cases have stayed in the 700s to 800s for a week, and the latest figure, though it decreased from 743 cases recorded on the previous day, marked a nearly six-month high among figures tallied on Sundays, when less virus testing is usually conducted.
People wait in line to go through COVID-19 testing at Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport, Monday. Yonhap