Senior residents of a district in the South Korean capital of Seoul on Thursday enjoyed "aqua aerobics" - arm lifts and jogging in the water - as the local district government reopened public pools following the country's ramped-up vaccination drive.

Blood cancer patient Park Jong-seon, 90, was the most excited among 10 swimmers in the aqua aerobics class, which started back on Monday. She has been longing to return to the pool because the water exercise relieves her joint pain.

"I am free to go outside and not be locked up at home all the time...