Three South Korean COVID-19 test-kit companies have secured preliminary approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
 
The FDA approval will enable the Korean firms to sell the COVID-19 test-kits in the United States, where the number of confirmed coronavirus cases has surpassed 120-thousand.
 
Amid soaring global demand for South Korean-made coronavirus test kits, a senior official of the Foreign Ministry said Saturday that a priority will likely be placed for the United States in exports of the test kits, citing spikes in the number of patients there and President Donald Trump's recent request for medical equipment.
 
The official said that the Seoul government is seeing the need to take corresponding steps in response to the United States not placing entry bans on South Korea and agreeing to sign a 60-billion currency swap deal with Seoul.
 
In a phone call with President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday, Trump asked Seoul to provide medical devices to help contain the spread of the virus.