COVID-19 Shuts South Korean Parliament

South Korea’s 441 total new cases on Thursday occurred primarily in and around the capital Seoul as figures continue to rise in what is being seen as a second wave of virus cases.

In recent weeks South Korea, after being one of the worst affected nations in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, had dipped to just 30-40 cases a day according to reports.

Over 18,700 South Koreans have now contracted the virus.

The closure of Seoul’s National Assembly building was attributed to a working journalist who attended a government meeting a day earlier having been confirmed positive with the virus – the probable cause of infection coming from one of the individual’s own relatives who had also tested positive

Following protocol in place, the politicians present have since been tested and have gone into self-isolation.

The assembly building and administrative annex were subsequently closed down with officials from all parties temporarily suspending activities it is understood.

A similar shutdown earlier in the year also saw the nation’s political heart placed in temporary lockdown. That case followed the case of a single person attending an event at the facility also testing positive for the virus.