Seven American service members and one dependent have tested positive for the new coronavirus upon their arrival in South Korea this month, US Forces Korea (USFK) said Thursday.

Six of the service members arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, on US government-chartered flights while the other service member and the dependent arrived on commercial flights via Incheon International airport, west of the capital, according to the US military.

Five of them tested positive on their first mandatory test prior to entering quarantine, while the others were confirmed to have contracted the virus on a subsequent test before exit from quarantine.

All USFK-affiliated individuals arriving in South Korea are required to undergo a virus test and quarantine for 14 days. Medical personnel administer a second test prior to their release.

The latest cases raised the total number of infections reported among the USFK-affiliated population to 677, most of whom tested positive upon their arrival here from the United States.

"Despite the recent confirmed cases, USFK remains at a high level of readiness with less than 1 percent of its active duty service members currently confirmed positive with COVID-19," the US military said in a release. (Yonhap)