▶ KDCA REPORTS ANOTHER DAY OF OVER 2,000 VIRUS CASES
South Korean health authorities have reported 2,324 local infections and 20 imported cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours.
There were also 20 more virus-related deaths.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said although new cases dropped slightly from the previous day's 2,482, it marked a jump of 220 from last Friday.
The KDCA said the current number of COVID patients in critical condition stood at 382.
So far, more than 76 percent of people in the country have been fully vaccinated against the virus, with coverage expanding among kids ages 12 and up.
▶ GOVT PREPARES FOR POTENTIAL COVID SURGE
The government has issued an administrative order for the procurement of hospital beds in the capital region.
Second Vice Health Minister Ryu Geun-hyeok said authorities need to be ready in the case that daily infections rise by 7,000 in the greater Seoul area.
The comments came as transmissions are expected to spike for the time being due to eased restrictions in line with the government's living with COVID-19 strategy.
▶ S. KOREA TO NORMALIZE ENTRY FOR MIGRANT WORKERS
South Korea plans to relax entry restrictions on migrant workers later this month to address labor shortages as the country has begun taking steps to return to pre-pandemic normalcy.
The government said it will allow all entry of foreign workers from 16 countries under the Employment Permit System, including Mongolia, Vietnam, Thailand and China.
They will be required to submit a negative PCR test result, undergo 10 days of quarantine at state-operated facilities and get COVID-19 vaccine shots.
The government has limited non-professional working visa issuance for almost two years due to COVID concerns, causing the migrant worker population to plunge from an annual average of 50,000 before the pandemic to below 7,000 last year.
According to the ministry, about 50,000 foreigners with work permits were waiting to enter the country as of last month.
▶ US SETS JAN. 4 VACCINE MANDATE DEADLINE
The U.S. government is requiring all Americans who work at companies with 100 or more employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by January 4.
The mandate, announced Thursday, is the Biden administration's boldest move yet to persuade reluctant Americans to finally get the shots, which have been widely available for months.
The new regulations will cover about 84 million workers at medium and large businesses.
Unvaccinated workers will have to test negative for COVID-19 at least once a week and wear a mask while in the workplace.
Companies that fail to comply with the regulations could face penalties of nearly 14,000 dollars per violation.
▶ RICH NATIONS TO DELIVER ON $100 BLN CLIMATE AID
Washington's special envoy on climate change John Kerry has said richer nations will be able to deliver 100 billion dollars to help developing countries tackle the climate crisis by 2022.
This is a year earlier than expected.
The BBC's Anna Aslan has the details.
[Reporter]
World leaders had agreed in Paris to provide 100 billion dollars to developing countries every year starting in 2020.
That target wasn't met and the latest estimate suggested it wouldn't be reached until 2023.
But speaking in Scotland, John Kerry said they now raised enough money to begin financing poorer nations by next year.
Mr. Kerry said he felt a new sense of urgency and possibility at the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow.
But he warned that trillions more dollars in private finance needs to be unlocked.
