An official at the country's arm procurement agency in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, has tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Wednesday.

The official at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 after showing symptoms, according to the ministry.

Among service members, four soldiers in the border county of Cheorwon and a Marine in Gimpo, west of the capital, have tested positive while in quarantine fter vacation.

Another soldier based in the east coast town of Samcheok was also found to be infected while on vacation before discharge after a family member tested positive

The latest cases raised the total number of infections reported among the military population to 658. Of them, 627 have been fully cured while 31 are undergoing treatment.

Nationwide, South Korea reported 506 new cases Wednesday amid signs that virus infections are accelerating across the country. The total caseload stood at 103,088. (Yonhap)