South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the government was waging "all-out responses" to contain the novel coronavirus as the country added 586 more cases, taking the total to 3,736, AFP reported.

South Korea has the largest national total in the world outside China, after it saw a rapid surge in the number of coronavirus cases in recent days.

"The government is now waging all-out responses after raising the crisis alert to the highest level," Moon said at an Independence Movement Day ceremony, scaled down due to the outbreak.

"We will be able to overcome the COVID-19 outbreak and revive our shrunken economy," he added.