Lee Nak-yeon on standby at home, undergoes third COVID-19 test

Democratic Party of Korea's new party leader Lee Nak-yeon (left) is greeting Kim Jong-in, the emergency committee chairman, by bumping fists at the Future United Party leader's office in Yeouido, National Assembly, Seoul on the morning of the 1st.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, underwent a diagnostic test for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). This came after the secretary of Lee Jong-bae, chairman of the Policy Committee, who was present during the visit of Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, earlier this month, tested positive for COVID-19 and was placed under quarantine.

This is the third time Lee has taken a COVID-19 test. Upon learning that the secretary of Chairman Lee, a People Power Party official, tested positive that day, Chairman Lee immediately took a diagnostic test and began self-quarantine. Lee Nak-yeon also returned home right after a COVID-19 case was confirmed and was waiting for Chairman Lee’s test results.

During the visit on the 1st, Lee and Chairman Lee reportedly sat apart from each other with a partition between them. However, since they spent a considerable amount of time indoors in direct contact with the confirmed case’s close contact, they proactively underwent testing. Previously, Lee had taken tests in February and last month after overlapping or indirectly contacting confirmed COVID-19 cases. Both tests returned negative results.

In July, Lee also stayed at home after attending an event with Oh Young-hwan, a party member who had contact with a confirmed case, marking the fourth time he has been on home standby. Recently, he appeared on a radio broadcast and was classified as a close contact of a confirmed case, leading to a two-week self-quarantine.

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