The new road map unveiled by the government also includes a downgrade of the COVID-19 infectious disease level by one notch to the second-highest level out of the four-tier system, allowing patients to receive treatment at local clinics and hospitals like an endemic disease, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency.

"We have come to fully understand the characteristics of omicron and equip ourselves with effective weapons like vaccines and treatment," the government headquarters on the COVID-19 response said in a release.

"We will push for a return to the general medical system where people can get the diagnosis and treatment at local clinics and hospitals and enjoy everyday life even if they get infected with COVID-19," it said.

The government also announced it will lift all COVID-19 social distancing rules, except the mask mandate, starting next week, in the first big step toward post-pandemic days since the outbreak of the novel virus two years ago, reported the news agency.