South Korea on Thursday re-imposed a series of Coronavirus physical distancing measures it had eased early this month, as a series of clusters threatened to challenge its success in containing the novel Corornavirus pandemic. The new cases — mostly in the Seoul metropolitan area where half of South Korea's 51 million people live — prompted officials to strengthen physical distancing rules that were eased on May 6. At least 69 infections so far have been linked to workers at a massive warehouse operated by local e-commerce giant Coupang.

Museums, parks and art galleries will all be closed again from Friday for two weeks, said Health Minister Park Neung-hoo, while firms were urged to re-introduce flexible working. "We have decided to strengthen all quarantine measures in the metropolitan area for two weeks from tomorrow to June 14," he said.