SEOUL, Aug 22 (Bernama-Yonhap) -- South Korea’s opposition leader, Lee Jae-myung, has tested positive for COVID-19, leading to the postponement of scheduled events, including talks with ruling party leader Han Dong-hoon, Yonhap News Agency reported.
Lee, recently re-elected as leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) for a second term, was scheduled to hold his first talks with Han of the ruling People Power Party on Sunday, but Lee's team has requested to postpone the meeting, Han said on Thursday.
“A while ago, we heard from Chairman Lee's side that he has to postpone the meeting between the ruling and opposition parties planned for this Sunday due to his COVID-19 symptoms,” Han said during a supreme council meeting at the National Assembly.
Han said he will better prepare for the meeting with the extra time. He hopes to discuss ways to end political strife and address livelihood-related issues in the upcoming talks.
A DP official told reporters that Lee tested positive after showing symptoms of a cold earlier on Thursday and will go into self-quarantine.
The two leaders will reschedule the meeting after Lee recovers, according to the official.
Lee's plans to visit former President Moon Jae-in in the southeastern city of Yangsan and the wife of the late former President Roh Moo-hyun in the southeastern rural village of Bongha later this day were also postponed.
--BERNAMA-YONHAP