South Korea's growing number of domestic COVID-19 cases puts the country's already beleaguered economy under further strain, risking the ruling progressive camp's position in upcoming legislative elections that could render President Moon Jae In a lame duck. This worsens a difficult situation given South Korea's deep links to the Chinese economy , also hit by COVID-19. As of March 2, South Korea's infections stood at 4,300 — the highest outside of China and up dramatically from 31 under two weeks before. Currently, manufacturing inside South Korea has remained largely undisrupted, but the possibility that the outbreak could force shutdowns in the current epicenter or spread and spike in key economic hubs such as Busan, Ulsan and Seoul raises the risk of supply chain disruptions that could ripple through the regional and global economy — possibly disrupting or delaying semiconductor and automotive exports.