(LEAD) PM announces new 5-level social distancing scheme

(ATTN: UPDATES with details from 2nd para)

SEOUL, Nov. 1 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Sunday announced a new social distancing scheme based on five levels instead of three, saying the new plan aims to improve anti-virus measures in a tailored fashion amid criticism the current system is too broad-brush.

"We are trying to improve effectiveness by reconstructing antivirus measures in a tailored fashion," he said during a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters.

The prime minister said that under the new scheme facilities will be grouped into "priority" and "regular" sites in terms of the application of antivirus rules, while mask wearing and other key rules that were previously mandatory only at "high-risk" facilities will now apply to all facilities.

The announcement came as South Korea reported triple-digit new case numbers for the fifth straight day, bringing the total caseload to 26,635.

hague@yna.co.kr
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