South Korea saw a record-high number of coronavirus cases on Thursday, with more than 600,000 new infections reported in a single day amid the ongoing spread of the Omicron variant.
The country confirmed a total of 621,328 COVID-19 infections over a 24-hour period, exceeding the previous record of 400,741 set a day earlier, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
The number of cases in South Korea is the most tallied in any country in the world over the past 28 days, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Since Monday, results of antigen tests conducted by medical professionals have been added to the tally, according to a report by Yonhap News Agency, contributing to the rapid increase in reported cases.
There were 429 coronavirus-related deaths on Thursday, raising the cumulative number to 11,481, the agency said.
Justice Minister Park Beom Kye tested positive for COVID-19 late Wednesday and is receiving treatment at home, his ministry said Thursday, according to another Yonhap report.
Meanwhile, the Japanese Embassy in Seoul said Japan's Ambassador to South Korea, Koichi Aiboshi, has tested positive for the virus and his scheduled meeting with South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday is postponed.
South Korea has seen a surge in cases since it registered a five-digit daily figure for the first time in late January.
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