1월 3일까지 2.5단계 연장... 우려 지속되는 가운데 당정청 내년 월 2월부터 백신 접종 발표<br /><br />Our top story this morning.<br />South Korea has decided against raising the social distancing level to its highest tier, level 3, at least for now.<br />Seoul and its surrounding areas will remain at level 2-point-5 until January 3rd, and the rest of the country at level two.<br />Officials also said Sunday that COVID-19 vaccinations will start in South Korea from February.<br />Kim Yeon-seung reports.<br />South Korea is now 20 days into enforcing the raised level 2-point-5 distancing measures in the capital region,... but it has yet to see a notable decrease in the number of daily coronavirus infections.<br />Level 2-point-5 measures came into effect on December 3rd and back then,... the nation reported 594 new infections, with 385 of them locally transmitted within the metropolitan area.<br />On December 27th, the nation saw over 946 new cases, with the capital's local infections adding up to more than 600 cases.<br />Although the past 20 days have not proven level 2-point-5 to be effective, the government has made the decision to extend this measure for another 6 days.<br />The government finds it hopeful that with level 2-point-5 in place, movement in the capital region has slowed down during the past two weekends.<br />The virus's reproductive rate has also met a slump with the number dropping from 1-point-2-7 to 1-point-0-7<br />For struggling local businesses, the government will supply funds of 3 million Korean won or 2-thousand-7-hundred U.S. dollars maximum, while promising a 70-percent cut in taxes for landlords who reduce their rent prices.<br />Meanwhile, the governing party, the government, and the Blue House have announced that South Korea will start COVID-19 vaccinations from next February.<br />They have emphasized that they will procure vaccines that will cover 120 percent of South Korea's population.<br />Kim Yeon-seung, Arirang News<br />
