Yonhap News Summary

The following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Monday.

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(2nd LD) S. Korea reports 476 new virus cases, total now at 4,212

SEOUL -- South Korea reported 476 new cases of the coronavirus on Monday, bringing the total number of infections here to 4,212, as the nation provides an "all-out response" to the fast-spreading virus that includes a massive testing program.

So far, 22 people, mostly ones with underlying illnesses, have died in South Korea from the respiratory virus that emerged in China.

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(LEAD) N. Korea fires two unidentified projectiles into East Sea: JCS

SEOUL -- North Korea fired two unidentified projectiles into the East Sea on Monday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, the first such launches since it warned of "a new strategic weapon" earlier this year.

The projectiles were fired from areas near its eastern coast city of Wonsan on Monday afternoon, the JCS said in a brief release. Other details, including their type, flight range and altitude, were not immediately available.

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Shincheonji founder tests negative for coronavirus

SEOUL -- The founder of a minor religious sect at the center of a rapid increase in coronavirus cases in South Korea has tested negative for the disease, the group said Monday.

Lee Man-hee, founder and leader of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, who underwent the test on Saturday, is COVID-19 negative, according to the church.

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S. Korea to focus more on curing severe coronavirus cases

SEOUL -- South Korean health authorities said Monday that they will focus more on actively curing severe cases of the novel coronavirus such as those involving elders and patients with chronic health issues.

Under the new response and treatment guidelines, all COVID-19 patients will receive customized treatment depending on the severity of their symptoms, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

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(2nd LD) S. Korean Im Sung-jae captures 1st PGA Tour title

SEOUL -- After 50 starts on the PGA Tour, South Korea's Im Sung-jae can finally call himself a champion.

Im won the Honda Classic at Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, on Sunday (local time), with a four-round total of six-under 274. He shot a four-under 66 in the final round to hold off Canadian Mackenzie Hughes by one stroke.

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(2nd LD) BTS' 'Map of the Soul: 7' tops Billboard 200 album chart

SEOUL -- "Map of the Soul: 7," the new album from K-pop super band BTS, landed atop the Billboard 200 chart this week in a history-making fourth No. 1 victory for the band on the American album list, Billboard said Monday (Korean time).

"'Map of the Soul: 7' storms in atop the chart with 422,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Feb. 27," the pop music magazine said on its website, citing data from Nielsen Music/MRC Data.

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(LEAD) Gov't eyes more than 6.2 tln-won extra budget to fight against coronavirus

SEOUL -- The government plans to draw up an extra budget that is larger than 6.2 trillion won (US$5.12 billion) to fight against the new coronavirus and will submit a related bill this week, officials said Monday.

The government is preparing the supplementary budget bill to submit it to the National Assembly on Thursday, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said in a consultative meeting with the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and government officials over the virus outbreak.

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80 countries, regions restricting entry from S. Korea over coronavirus fears

SEOUL -- A total of 80 countries and regions are imposing entry bans or quarantine procedures on visitors from South Korea over new coronavirus fears on Monday, despite Seoul's beefed-up diplomacy to prevent inordinate measures targeting its citizens.

As of 9:10 a.m., 36 countries and regions plan to ban or are barring the entry of travelers who have visited South Korea in the past two weeks, while 44 countries or regions are implementing quarantine procedures for them, according to the foreign ministry.

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