Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Friday the government "may have to seriously consider" toughening social distancing measures, citing alarming increases in new daily COVID-19 cases.

"The warning light for disease control has lit up. If the current growth trend continues, (we) may have to seriously consider raising the (social) distancing level," Chung said during a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters at the government complex in Seoul.

His remarks came as South Korea's coronavirus cases rose by triple digits for the sixth consecutive day, mainly attributable to cluster infections from private gatherings and facilities across the nation. On Friday, 191 new cases were reported.

The country, which now operates a five-tier virus curbs system, has kept social distancing at Level 1 nationwide, although some cities and governments upped their virus infection preventive measures.

Under Level 1, people are required to follow basic guidelines, such as wearing masks, and gatherings of over 500 people are not recommended.

He stressed the need to engage in preemptive and targeted disease control measures especially around public facilities, such as senior care centers.

"We must remember that the situation is precarious and that we cannot remain off guard," Chung said.

Amid recent news of advancements in coronavirus vaccine developments, the prime minister explained that the government was "taking necessary measures to secure enough volume of vaccines at the appropriate timing."

Chung also expressed concerns over mass labor and civic rallies scheduled for Seoul and Busan on Saturday, asking organizers to reconsider holding the mass outdoor events.

"While organizers promised to follow health safety measures (during the rallies), it could end up becoming the fuse for a mass COVID-19 outbreak," he said. (Yonhap)