Maryland first lady secures South Korean coronavirus testing kits
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Maryland is going to get new coronavirus testing kits from South Korea thanks to Republican Gov. Larry Hogan's wife, Yumi Hogan, who worked with the Asian country to close a deal for the kits.
A Hogan spokesman said Maryland had acquired 500,000 tests "[a]fter weeks of diplomatic discussions and procurement efforts."
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According to the New York Times, the first batch arrived on Saturday, and Yumi Hogan played a pivotal role in securing them. The Maryland first lady is well-known in South Korea and an immigrant from that country.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The No. 1 problem facing us is lack of testing," Hogan said, according to the Times. "We can’t open up our states without ramping up testing."
The tests were bought from LabGenomics, a company in South Korea.
Hogan, who is the chairman of the National Governors Association, has been one of the highest-profile state executives as the U.S. has worked to combat the coronavirus crisis, managing to avoid any trading of barbs with President Trump while also pushing the federal government to step up its response to the pandemic -- which other governors have panned as too slow.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Governor Hogan’s diplomatic triumph is another example of how his results-oriented approach is saving lives and leading Maryland towards recovery," An America United, a national advocacy group founded by Hogan, said in a statement.
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A representative for Hogan told Fox News that the governor would make remarks about the South Korean coronavirus tests in a 2 p.m. press conference Monday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Maryland, as of Monday morning, had 12,847 reported coronavirus cases and 461 reported deaths.