코로나19, 초 5-6 중1 오늘 마지막 4차 등교
The final batch of South Korean students returned to school today in the final of the government's four-phased reopening plan.
With this, all of the nation's 5-point-9-5 million students from kindergarten to grade 12 are back in their classrooms more than three months after the start of the new school year was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Choi Won-jong reports.
It's unusual to see teachers handing out flowers and chocolates on the first day of school.
But today, more than 1-point-3 million students in the first grade of middle school, as well as those in the fifth and sixth grades of elementary school, are returning to their classrooms - 99 days later than originally planned.
After such a long delay, the students are happy to see their friends again.
"Today was my first time attending middle school. I was so happy to be welcomed at the entrance and also to see my friends after a long time."
However, 5-hundred-17 schools that were supposed to reopen Monday remain closed because of nearby cluster infections.
Nearly 2-point-5 percent of more than 20-thousand schools remain closed in Incheon, Seoul, and Gyeonggi-do Province where new infections have been reported.
Although most of students in South Korea are set to return to their classrooms, due to the new cluster infections, strict quarantine measures are in place for these schools.
All students are required to wear face masks and get their body temperatures checked before entering their classrooms.
Wearing face masks is a must too - both inside and outside.
Meanwhile, South Korean Education Minister, Yoo Eun-hye, said in a briefing on Monday that schools for all grades are officially open. However, the government will continue to manage schools under strict quarantine guidelines to prevent any secondary infections.
Choi Won-jong, Arirang News.
