In South Korea, the government will require QR code readers to be installed in places where there is a higher chance of COVID-19 spreading. In other words, indoor spaces where large numbers of people gather, such as gyms and restaurants, will have to implement this measure proposed by the country's government, as pointed out by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). People who wish to enter such spaces will have to scan the QR code from smartphone . In addition, personal data collected from the codes will be encrypted and deleted after four weeks. Places that do not implement the QR code system or falsify their guest list will be required to pay fines or even close, the agency . These facilities will have to comply by June 30, while those that do not use QR code readers will receive a relevant warning as well as instructions for installing one.
South Korea already requires such facilities to check visitors' temperatures to see if anyone has a fever, and all visitors are required to wear masks . The government in South Korea has also required that visitors to such facilities be recorded on lists, which previously could be created using pen and paper.
Before this announcement, South Korea had already required those quarantined by the government to wear electronic bracelets. In March, the South Korean government launched apps to alert citizens to the availability of face masks at nearby pharmacies in an effort to address any shortages. The country’s overall infection rate has remained low, but there were a few cases in Seoul last month at clubs as well as at a warehouse run by the country’s e-commerce giant Coupang . As of last Wednesday, South Korea had about 12,000 confirmed cases and more than 270 deaths.
