Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong, the candidate for the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said regarding the case of being reported to the police for stock investments related to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) by a spouse on the 2nd, "I will clarify the response plan after understanding the work."
On this day, the candidate Jeong was going to the office set up for the candidate's confirmation hearing at T Tower in Jung-gu, Seoul, when she spoke to reporters.
Earlier the day before, the civic group People's Livelihood Countermeasure Committee reported candidate Jeong to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency for abuse of power, breach of duty, and violation of the conflict-of-interest prevention law.
The People's Livelihood Committee claimed, "While Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong was appointed as the first director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and gained high credibility, urging the public to wear masks and use self-diagnostic kits, it was revealed that her spouse purchased stocks from a company producing those items."
She added, "At that time, there were stocks related to COVID-19 held by her spouse, but omitting some of them from the property-related documents recently submitted to the presidential office or stating amounts lower than the actual amount received is abuse of power."
Regarding the stock suspicion related to her spouse, candidate Jeong said on the 30th, "There are many incorrect details in the reports about the suspicion," and "I will explain it to the public through the confirmation hearing."
When asked by reporters about plans for communication with the medical community, candidate Jeong said, "I am still receiving work reports, so I will detail it during the confirmation hearing," and "I am currently preparing for the hearing diligently, submitting materials and grasping the work."
Regarding the suicide rate response that President Lee Jae-myung is said to have requested strengthening measures for, she stated, "I understand that the Ministry of Health and Welfare is developing a plan internally," and "I will report once it is prepared."