MANDATORY MASK WEAR ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT

[Anchor Lead]

Wearing masks when using public transport and taxis is now mandatory in Korea. Here's how the public complied with the new measure on the first day of its implementation.

[Pkg]

​Commuters wearing protective masks stand in line at a bus stop in Seoul.

[Soundbite] PARK SOO-MI(SEOUL RESIDENT) : "People should wear masks when using public transport. It's an enclosed, crowded space."

Wearing face masks when using buses or taxis is now mandatory nationwide. A written notice on the bus says all passengers are required to wear masks. Most of them comply with the rule. Bus and taxi drivers feel relieved. Before the new rule took effect, there was nothing they could do to make non-compliant passengers put on masks. They were even fined for refusing passengers. But now they can do it legally.

[Soundbite] KIM DAL-WAN(TAXI DRIVER) : "When I reminded a passenger that wearing masks is mandatory from today, the passenger apologized and put on a mask immediately."

On the first day of the mask-wearing rule, most public transport users made sure to wear masks, but some forgot to do so. They were either reminded to put on their masks by public officials ...

[Soundbite] (SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL) : "Put on your mask, please."

... or received masks from bus drivers who made sure to stockpile on extra masks just in case.

[Soundbite] KIM SOO-YOUNG(BUS DRIVER) : "We will remind passengers to wear masks through the end of this month. If they still don't wear them, we'll explain that they may be denied boarding."

Starting Wednesday, wearing masks became mandatory on planes as well.