Seoul, Jan 16 (TIWN) South Korea on Saturday announced its decision to extend the tightened social-distancing rules for two more weeks until the end of January amid an unabated Covid-19 resurgence.

The Seoul metropolitan area, which covers Seoul, its surrounding Gyeonggi province and the western port city of Incheon, will be placed under the second-highest Level 2.5 social-distancing guidelines until January 31. The country's five-tier distancing scheme was elevated from the lowest Level 1 to Level 1.5 on November 19 in the capital area, before being raised to Level 2 for two weeks between November 24 and December 7. It has since been maintained at the Level 2 distancing campaign. All the other areas, which exclude the capital region, will be placed under the third-highest Level 2 social-distancing regulations for two more weeks. The nationwide ban on any private gathering of five or more people will be extended for two more weeks until January 31. Five or more people will be prohibited from eating food in restaurants.