A Seoul court on Thursday ordered the government to pay 10 million won ($8,520) in compensation each to 44 people who were barred from the national teacher qualification exam last year due to their COVID-19 infections.

The ruling by the Seoul Central District Court came after the Ministry of Education forbade those who had COVID-19 from taking the primary qualification test for would-be elementary and middle school teachers in late 2020.

The complainants had initially sought compensation of 15 million won each.

The ruling follows the Constitutional Court's decision in January that such restrictions "could excessively limit the freedom of occupation," given in favor of a group of bar exam takers seeking to suspend an anti-pandemic policy to bar those who are positive for COVID-19 from taking the exam. (Yonhap)