Seoul court blocks COVID-19 pass mandate for private educational facilities News
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Seoul court blocks COVID-19 pass mandate for private educational facilities

The Seoul Administrative Court ruled Tuesday that private education facilities like cram schools, public study rooms and study cafes should be exempt from South Korea’s COVID-19 vaccine pass requirements.

According to Yonhap News Agency, parents and owners of private education institutes claim that the mandate violates unvaccinated students’ right to learn. The Court agreed that the mandate results in the government “effectively limiting the rights” of unvaccinated students to access and use study institutions.

On December 3, 2021, the South Korean government announced an expansion of the vaccine pass system. On December 6, 2021, the new rules took effect, and Koreans were required to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative test result before entering indoor facilities including “private scholastic academies.”

According to South Korea’s official news portal, Minister of Health and Welfare Deok-chul Kwon cited the recent COVID-19 surge as the reason for stricter measures. Importantly, the new rules affect Koreans ages 11 to 17. The government planned to give youth eight weeks, or until February 1, 2022, to get vaccinated. However, after considerable backlash, the deadline was extended until March to coincide with the beginning of the spring school semester.

Yonhap reported that the government plans to appeal the administrative court’s ruling and seek to have the mandate reinstated.