The South Korean government will build a computerized system to prevent repeat sales of masks to the same person and ban, in principle, the export of masks to deal with an ongoing domestic shortage.

At an emergency Cabinet meeting held at Daegu City Hall on Thursday, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said the government has come up with additional measures to increase the supply of masks and distribute them in a rational fashion.

To solve the unstable supply of mask materials, producers and sellers of felt used in mask filters will be required to report to the government their daily production and sales totals. If need be, the government will adjust the supply amount and sales channels.

Chung also expressed his sense of responsibility for the failure of the government's previous measures to meet domestic demand, forcing many South Koreans to wait for hours in long lines to buy just a handful of masks.

He called on relevant government agencies to prepare so that the latest measures have the promised effect and check to ensure that material supplies and distribution are being improved.