A minor religious sect at the center of a coronavirus outbreak in South Korea said on Monday that its founder and leader tested negative for the novel coronavirus. 

The Shincheonji Church of Jesus, however, did not reveal where Lee Man-hee underwent the test and how the test was conducted. 

The group had said earlier that Lee was checked for the test on Saturday and was waiting for the results. 

It also said that Lee had been in self-quarantine at his home like other followers. Lee was reportedly staying in Gyeonggi Province.   

In a statement addressed to political leaders Sunday, Shincheonji asked them to stop portraying the religious sect as a criminal organization.

The statement also said that Shincheonji is trying its best to work with local governments to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, several municipalities are threatening to file criminal complaints against the group over alleged activities that pose a threat to public health and safety, including alleged inaccuracy of the list of followers.