The ruling Democratic Party (DP) on Tuesday relaunched a high-profile in-house committee dedicated to combating the COVID-19 pandemic as the country is struggling to contain a flare-up in mass infection cases.

The "COVID-19 national crisis management" committee is set to hold its first plenary meeting Tuesday afternoon under the leadership of the party's chief, Rep. Lee Nak-yon, according to party officials. 

The committee initially set sail in February and had operated till June in the face of the country's first wave of coronavirus transmissions. The party rebooted the committee against the backdrop of the recent resurgence of mass infections here.

The committee brings together some of the party's most experienced lawmakers and policy experts, including six five-term representatives such as Kim Jin-pyo and Cho Jeong-sik, who will be serving as co-chairmen.

Pharmacist-turned-lawmaker Rep. Jun Hye-sook and Rep. Kim Du-kwan, a former interior minister, also joined the committee as co-chairs to map out ways to fight the coronavirus situation, including quarantine measures, assistance for people's livelihoods and economic stimulus.

Also expected to be on the agenda is nurturing post-COVID-19 new growth engines in such sectors as digital and bio technologies as well as health and environment.

The committee may also consider conducting on-site inspections of workplaces in search of input from citizens, and it is reviewing a plan to hold its regular meetings via videoconference to avert any transmission concerns, party officials said.

A party official said that, "With a sharp increase in the number of committee members this time, compared with its previous term, the party has mobilized almost all its resources for the committee." (Yonhap)