Yonhap News Summary

The following is the second summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday.

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(3rd LD) New virus cases at nearly 3-week high; more regions upping virus curbs amid resurgence
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SEOUL -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases rose by triple digits for a fourth day Wednesday to a nearly three-week high on sporadic cluster infections across the nation, with more cities adopting enhanced social distancing schemes.

The country added 146 more COVID-19 cases, including 113 local infections, raising the total caseload to 27,799, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

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(2nd LD) Moon to hold phone talks with Biden soon: Cheong Wa Dae official
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SEOUL -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in plans to hold phone talks with U.S. President-elect Joe Biden this week, a Cheong Wa Dae official said Wednesday.

Cheong Wa Dae is "coordinating a time (for Moon and Biden) to have a phone call tomorrow," the official told reporters.

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(2nd LD) Moon honors U.N. Korean War veterans, vows to make Korea 'peaceful, prosperous'
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SEOUL/BUSAN -- President Moon Jae-in pledged efforts Wednesday to make South Korea "peaceful and prosperous," paying respects to war veterans on the occasion of the International Memorial Day for U.N. Korean War Veterans.

"The more we reflect on their spirit of dignity, the more we are humbled by their solemn sacrifice," Moon wrote on his social media accounts. "I pay tribute to those who dedicated themselves to freedom and peace, and pray for the souls of those who sacrificed their own lives."

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Celltrion's COVID-19 treatment kills virus within 4-5 days: chief

SEOUL -- South Korean pharmaceutical giant Celltrion Inc.'s COVID-19 treatment kills the coronavirus within 4-5 days, effectively protecting patients with mild symptoms from developing a severe case, the company's chief said Wednesday.

Celltrion Group Chairman Seo Jung-jin said the first stage trial of CT-P59, anti-COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatment, shortened the recovery time of patients with no side effect reported so far.

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(LEAD) (Yonhap Interview) Ambiguous Dance Company: the dance group behind weirdly wonderful tourism promotional videos that have gone viral
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SEOUL -- If you've ever seen their dance, chances are you probably saw it on repeat.

Ambiguous Dance Company, a group of sunglass-donning dancers showing off addictive dance moves in funky outfits inspired by Korean tradition, is the latest viral marvel to hail from South Korea.

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Seoul stocks at over 2-year high on vaccine hopes; Korean won at nearly 2-yr high

SEOUL -- The South Korean stock market hit a more than 2-year high Wednesday, as investor sentiment improved on stronger exports and Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine test results. The Korean won surged to a 23-month high against the U.S. dollar.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 33.04 points, or 1.35 percent, to close at 2,485.87 points, the highest closing since 2487.25 points on May 3, 2018.

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