South Korea's daily new COVID-19 cases surpassed one thousand for the first time since the country reported its very first case in January.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said on Sunday that one thousand and 30 new cases were detected throughout Saturday, raising the country's accumulated caseload to 42-thousand-766.

The nation passed the grim milestone of one thousand daily infections about eleven months, or 328 days after it reported its first case on January 20.

Of the new cases, one thousand two cases were domestic infections, while 28 were imported.

The capital area accounts for the majority of local cases, with 396 in Seoul, 328 in Gyeonggi Province and 62 in Incheon. The combined number for the Seoul metro area came to 786, surpassing the 700 mark for the first time.

Busan also added 56 more cases, Daegu 28 and South Gyeongsang Province 22.

The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients remained unchanged from the previous day at 179. Two more deaths were reported, raising the death toll to 580.