SEOUL/HONG KONG/TOKYO -- Hanging on a guardrail along a walkway at Yangjae Stream, a large public park in southern Seoul, a massive banner politely asks locals to stay away. Earlier in the spring, the park was closed for weeks as South Korea struggled to rein in what once was the world's largest outbreak of the novel coronavirus outside of China.
It has since reopened, but visitors must wear masks. Takeout food, groundsheets and tents -- mainstays of park outings in South Korea -- are banned due to social distancing guidelines meant to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.