Passengers check in for a Gimpo-Haneda flight at the international flight counter at Gimpo International Airport in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, on Friday morning, one day before the first weekend after Japan allowed Koreans to travel without a visa. (Yonhap)

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases stayed below 30,000 for the third consecutive day Saturday, as the virus wave has subsided in recent weeks.

The country reported 22,844 new COVID-19 infections, including 53 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 25,098,996, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said.

Saturday's count marked a fall from the previous day's 23,583. The country has seen a gradual downtrend in new infections after peaking at over 180,000 cases on Aug. 17.

As the virus wave has subsided, the government has eased antivirus restrictions, including lifting all outdoor mask mandates and the COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing requirement for inbound travelers.

The country reported 25 deaths from COVID-19, raising the death toll to 28,808.

The number of critically ill patients came to 245, up eight from a day earlier. (Yonhap)