[Q&A] Deputy Minister Kim Kang-rip on 'Self-Quarantine': Why He Did Not Undergo Diagnostic Testing

"Principle: Testing Only for Those with Symptoms Even During Self-Quarantine"

Yoon Tae-ho, Head of the Central Quarantine Task Force at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Public Health Policy Officer, Ministry of Health and Welfare), is holding a regular briefing on the results of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting for COVID-19 response on the morning of the 19th at the Government Sejong Complex in Sejong City. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Kim Kang-rip, Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, who is self-quarantining due to contact with a confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), was reported to have no particular symptoms on the 19th.

Yoon Tae-ho, Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters' Quarantine General Division (Public Health Policy Officer of the Ministry of Health and Welfare), stated this at a regular briefing held at the Government Complex Sejong on the 19th.

On the afternoon of the 13th, Kim and eight other Ministry of Health and Welfare officials held a meeting with university and general hospital directors from the metropolitan area at the Conference House "Dalgaebi" in Jung-gu, Seoul. It was reported that Lee Sang-yong, director of Bundang Jesaeng Hospital, who attended the meeting, was confirmed positive, leading Kim and the other eight officials to enter self-quarantine the day before.

Kim entered self-quarantine as a preventive measure but has not undergone a COVID-19 test since he has no symptoms, according to the explanation.

◇Below is a Q&A with Head Yoon regarding the self-quarantine of Kim and the eight Ministry of Health and Welfare officials

- Kim said he has no symptoms currently and therefore did not get tested. However, since he met many other ministers at the National Assembly Budget Committee after the 13th, wouldn't it be prudent to get tested in advance?

▲ We are currently following the measures based on epidemiological investigations. Whether additional testing is necessary is not a matter for the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters to decide. If there are no symptoms, basic self-quarantine is conducted, and testing is done if symptoms appear during this period.

- Lawmakers Shim Jae-cheol and Jeon Hee-kyung of the United Future Party were tested despite having no symptoms.

▲ According to current guidelines, contacts are first self-quarantined and tested if symptoms develop. In other situations, testing may be conducted as with those lawmakers. The decision on testing is being reviewed mainly by the Central Disease Control Headquarters, not the administrative organization of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters. However, at present, considering the intensity and duration of contact, it was judged that testing would not be beneficial, so no tests were conducted.

- Were the approximately 20 metropolitan hospital directors who attended the meeting also notified to self-quarantine?

▲ There is no basis for disclosing information about contacts. However, I understand that some of the approximately 20 hospital directors entered self-quarantine while others did not. Since epidemiological investigators comprehensively consider the degree, distance, and duration of contact, the results differ for each individual.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.