While most of the new cases were traced to the southeastern city of Daegu, almost all major cities and provinces reported some infections.Daegu and other southeastern parts of Korea are an industrial hub in South Korea, Asia's fourth-biggest economy, and home to factories of Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor and a number of others.
"As of 1pm, Feb 24, the Gumi Complex has started normal operations and we expect no impact on production," Samsung said in a statement, without elaborating further. Six employees at Hyundai Motor's factories in the southeastern city of Ulsan are also at home, with four of them linked to a church at the centre of the virus outbreak in Daegu, a union spokesman said in a statement.Another person visited a supplier, which was closed after one case was confirmed.An official at the Hyundai supplier, Seojin Industrial, said health authorities disinfected the factory over the weekend, and it is unclear when production will be resumed.
A Hyundai Motor spokesperson said there has been no production disruption so far, as it has an inventory. It has advised employees to refrain from traveling to Ulsan and suppliers in the southeastern area.