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Yonhap News Summary

All News 13:03 December 31, 2021

The following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Friday.

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(2nd LD) Current distancing rules to be extended for 2 more weeks: PM

SEOUL -- The government will extend toughened social distancing rules for two more weeks through mid-January, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Friday, amid efforts to bring down the number of serious coronavirus cases and contain the omicron variant.

"It is too early to think that we have overcome the crisis," Kim said during a COVID-19 response meeting in Seoul. "We still have a lot of critically ill virus patients and deaths."

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(LEAD) N. Korea has final review on draft resolution for year-end party plenary

SEOUL -- North Korea has discussed a draft resolution expected to be adopted at the close of an ongoing key party meeting, its state media reported Friday, amid expectations the document could include its foreign policy line for the new year.

The North convened a fourth day of the 4th Plenary Meeting of the ruling Workers' Party's 8th Central Committee on Thursday, during which participants "concluded sectional workshops and consultative sessions," according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

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(LEAD) New infections below 5,000, distancing curbs extended for 2 weeks

SEOUL -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases fell below 5,000 for the first time in three days Friday, but the government decided to extend toughened social distancing rules for two more weeks through mid-January to try to reduce critical cases and contain the omicron variant.

The country added 4,875 new COVID-19 infections, including 4,758 local infections, raising the total caseload to 630,838, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

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(2nd LD) Consumer price growth hits 10-year high this year

SEOUL -- South Korea's consumer prices grew at the fastest pace in 10 years in 2021 due to surging energy costs and high prices of farm products, data showed Friday, indicating a build-up in inflationary pressure amid the economic recovery.

Consumer prices rose 2.5 percent this year from a year earlier, accelerating from a 0.5 percent on-year gain in 2020, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea.

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(2nd LD) Ex-President Park Geun-hye set free under presidential pardon

SEOUL -- Former President Park Geun-hye was set free Friday under a presidential pardon, after four years and nine months of imprisonment following her impeachment and ouster from office for corruption.

The 69-year-old Park has served a combined 22-year prison sentence since March 2017 after being impeached and removed from office over far-reaching corruption and an influence-peddling scandal involving a close friend accused of manipulating her.

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Assembly passes bill on lowering age of candidacy for parliament to 18

SEOUL -- The National Assembly on Friday passed a bill that lowers the age of candidacy for parliament and local elections from 25 to 18.

Under the bill, which is expected to be endorsed by the Cabinet next month, anyone aged 18 and above can run for a seat in the National Assembly starting with the by-elections slated for March 9, when the presidential election will be held simultaneously.
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