NEWS BRIEF

[Anchor Lead]

Starting today, government-supplied protective face masks will be sold at drugstores on designated days of the week depending on the last digit of the purchaser's birth year. Each person will be allowed to buy two masks a week. Those who report stores selling government-supplied masks for a high price will receive rewards. Sellers who voluntarily report themselves by March 14th starting tomorrow will not receive penalties.
Some mask manufacturers that had to suspend operations due to the shortage of mask filters were able to resume production last evening, after the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy issued a supply adjustment order to four manufacturers of filter fabrics. Through this emergency measure, the government has provided four tons of fabrics to five mask manufacturers that were on the verge of halting mask production.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff says North Korea has fired three projectiles from Hamkyongnam-do Province into the northeastern part of the East Sea this morning. It's the second firing of projectiles by the North this year. The first one was conducted a week ago. Cheong Wa Dae pointed out that Pyongyang's move does little to help promote peace on the Korean Peninsula.