<p class="bodytext">South Korea reported 1,029 new coronavirus cases on Friday amid subdued New Year's celebrations.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The tally was up from 967 the day before, and brought total cases to 61,769, with 917 deaths, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">After initial success in subduing earlier waves of infections, South Korea has struggled to reduce this latest and largest surge, with daily cases hovering around 1,000 for weeks.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Amid the strictest social distancing restrictions yet, authorities shut down the beaches on the country's east coast where people traditionally gathered to watch the first sunrise of the New Year.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In Seoul, the Bosingak bell-ringing ceremony was cancelled for the first time since 1953, though it was streamed on the city's website.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Global K-Pop sensation BTS celebrated New Year's Eve with an online concert on Thursday along with other K-pop groups from its management agency Big Hit Entertainment and fans from around the world.</p>.<p class="bodytext">This week South Korean health officials transferred dozens of elderly coronavirus patients from nursing homes to hospitals after criticism that government policy had led to a spike in deaths among the vulnerable residents.</p>
<p class="bodytext">South Korea reported 1,029 new coronavirus cases on Friday amid subdued New Year's celebrations.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The tally was up from 967 the day before, and brought total cases to 61,769, with 917 deaths, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">After initial success in subduing earlier waves of infections, South Korea has struggled to reduce this latest and largest surge, with daily cases hovering around 1,000 for weeks.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Amid the strictest social distancing restrictions yet, authorities shut down the beaches on the country's east coast where people traditionally gathered to watch the first sunrise of the New Year.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In Seoul, the Bosingak bell-ringing ceremony was cancelled for the first time since 1953, though it was streamed on the city's website.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Global K-Pop sensation BTS celebrated New Year's Eve with an online concert on Thursday along with other K-pop groups from its management agency Big Hit Entertainment and fans from around the world.</p>.<p class="bodytext">This week South Korean health officials transferred dozens of elderly coronavirus patients from nursing homes to hospitals after criticism that government policy had led to a spike in deaths among the vulnerable residents.</p>