Prime Minister Jeong Sye-gyun Tests Negative for COVID-19... Resumes Activities

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun tested negative for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) after undergoing a specimen test.

According to the Prime Minister's Office on the 22nd, Prime Minister Chung visited Jongno Public Health Center in the morning to receive a diagnostic test. This was a measure taken after one staff member at the Prime Minister's Office was confirmed positive for COVID-19 earlier that morning.

Although Prime Minister Chung was not in close contact with the confirmed case, he canceled his afternoon schedule as a preemptive response, took the test, and waited for the results at the Prime Minister's official residence in Seoul. The dinner originally scheduled with the People Power Party floor leaders was canceled.

Following the negative result, Prime Minister Chung will resume his official duties. He is scheduled to preside over an extraordinary cabinet meeting on the 23rd to approve the allocation plan for the 4th supplementary budget, assuming the 4th supplementary budget bill passes the National Assembly that night.

Prime Minister Chung said, "Although this was a preemptive measure following the confirmed case among the Prime Minister's Office staff, I am grateful to the citizens who were concerned and also feel apologetic." He added, "As the head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, I will devote myself even more to ending this situation as soon as possible."