▲ Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol speaks during his visit to a hospital designated for COVID-19 treatment in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, on Jan 26, 2021. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) health minister-self-quarantine

(LEAD) Health minister under self-quarantine after contact with virus-infected employee

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 4-5)

SEOUL, Jan. 26 (Yonhap) -- Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol has been placed under self-quarantine after coming in contact with a ministry employee who tested positive for COVID-19, his office said Tuesday.

Kwon received a virus test and was placed under self-isolation while awaiting the results, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said.

The ministry said it will announce further details after his test results come out.

Earlier in the day, Kwon attended a Cabinet meeting held at the government complex in Sejong, about 120 kilometers south of Seoul, and discussed vaccine programs in another meeting at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency in nearby Osong, North Chungcheong Province.

In the afternoon, he visited a hospital designated for COVID-19 treatment in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul.

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