Climbers enjoy the fall foliage on Mount Naejang, North Jeolla Province, in this Nov. 6, 2021 file photo. Newsis

The government said Wednesday that it will adopt a reservation system for national parks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 ahead of the peak autumn foliage season.

Twenty-seven major trails of the national parks across the country will adopt the timed entry system to prevent overloading of visitors, said Kim Sung-ho, a senior interior ministry official in charge of disaster management, during a regular briefing.

Kim said the government will also adopt a system to notify about tourist congestion at the parks, as the number of tourists peaks in October to enjoy the autumn foliage.

The move comes as 48 percent of the country's population have so far tested positive for the virus and the reinfection rate continues to rise. On Wednesday, the country reported 34,739 new COVID-19 infections. (Yonhap)