<Anchor> From



today (18th), up to 8 people can gather in the metropolitan area until 10 pm, and up to 10 people in non-metropolitan areas until midnight. Ahead of the transition to a 'step-by-step recovery' next month, the standards for private gatherings have been relaxed.



Reporter Park Chan-geun, it is raining, but do you feel the streets are getting a little more crowded?



<Reporter>



Yes, the weather is getting colder and it's raining, but the number of people visiting the streets of Hongdae continues to increase.



I have been walking around this area since daytime, listening to the stories of self-employed people and citizens, and the most popular response was that they were happy to have an atmosphere where many people could gather like this after a long time.



Let's hear it for yourself.



[Yeji Jeon/Nam-gu, Incheon: Two, two, we met separately like this. It's a new feeling to see everyone together like this today



. Why is it that 8 or 6 people need to come in and drink alcohol... .]



However, there were many responses that the situation was still frustrating because the business hours restrictions were not lifted.



Conversely, there were opinions that people are anxious to see a large crowd, and they are worried that the number of infected people will increase again.



The social distancing that started today has a strong stepping-stone character ahead of the 'step-by-step recovery' next month.



The number of gatherings has been lifted centered on those who have completed inoculations. In restaurants and cafes in the metropolitan area, up to 8 people, including 4 people who have been vaccinated, can gather by 10 pm, and in non-metropolitan areas, up to 10 people can gather until midnight.



Some facilities, such as reading rooms and movie theaters in the metropolitan area, have extended their business hours by two hours to midnight.



However, the ban on gatherings at entertainment facilities has not been lifted.



This distancing measure will be in effect until the end of this month, and what to do after that will be announced at the beginning of next month after the Daily Recovery Support Committee has prepared a specific plan.



(On-site moderator: Kim Seong-il, video editing: Kim Jun-hee)