South Korea Holds Off on Highest Alert as Growth in Cases Slows

South Korea stopped short of raising its coronavirus alert to the highest level, noting that growth in the number of infections has slowed.

The government will maintain level 2.5 social distancing rules in the Seoul metropolitan area and level 2 in other parts of the country until Jan. 3, Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol said Sunday in a televised briefing. Level 3 is the closest scenario to a lockdown in South Korea’s alert system, and its measures include the closure of non-essential facilities from theaters to parks.