The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Friday that its affiliated institutions in Seoul-- museums, art galleries, libraries and performance venues -- will remain closed due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19 in the capital area.

The shutdown of state-run cultural institutions began on Dec. 8 and was set to end Friday. The facilities, including the National Museum of Korea, the National Folk Museum of Korea, the National Museum of Contemporary Art, the National Library of Korea and the National Theater of Korea, will stay closed until further notice.

Meanwhile, Cultural Heritage Administration also announced Friday that its major indoor heritage sites in the Seoul area, including the National Palace Museum of Korea, would stay closed until further notice. Outdoor heritage facilities like palaces in Seoul and royal tomb sites in the surrounding Gyeonggi Province will be open to visitors.

By Song Seung-hyun (ssh@heraldcorp.com)