Coronavirus: South Korea to provide one million face masks to foreign veterans of 1950-53 Korean War

Seoul, Apr 24 (AP) South Korea on Friday said it will send one million face masks to foreign veterans of the 1950-53 Korean War as it expands efforts to help other countries deal with the coronavirus epidemics while its own caseload slows.

South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun during a virus meeting on Friday said the country could send more masks overseas at a level that doesn't disrupt domestic supply.

South Korea since early March has banned the exports of masks and channelled most domestically produced masks to pharmacies, where people have been limited to buying two masks per week.

The nationwide rationing program was a drastic attempt at calming public anger over shortages and reduce hour-longs lines that formed in stores across the country in previous weeks as infections soared.

But Chung said supply has stabilised and that the government will increase the weekly allowance to three masks from next week.

South Korea's Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported six more cases but no new deaths, bringing national totals to 10,703 and 240 fatalities. (AP) SCYSCY