According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Busan government will close down the town 's seven beaches, starting from midnight. The strengthened guidelines on distancing will be applied until Sept. 30.

The country's regular new cases of virus soared by triple digits for the seventh straight day Thursday as church-linked infections continued to pile up in the greater capital city, with more cases of virus being reported nationally.

According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), the country has added 288 more COVID-19 cases including 276 local infections, bringing the overall caseload to 16,346.

On Thursday, Busan added 15 patients and increased its virus toll to 246.

South Korea decided to increase the level of social gap in Seoul and the neighboring Gyeonggi Province by one knot to Level 2 in the three-tier structure for two weeks from Sunday, as the latest daily cases spiked.

The plan had been expanded to Incheon, just west of Seoul, beginning Wednesday.

The Ministry of Oceans said other areas would also be required to close down their beaches if the government wants to expand the social distancing steps.

Maritime Business World