Seocho-gu COVID-19 Confirmed Case Attends Service at Shincheonji Gwacheon Headquarters

Gwacheon Mayor "Very High Concern Over Community Infection"

As the number of COVID-19 cases rapidly increases in Daegu, suspected patients are flocking to the Nam-gu Public Health Center in Daegu on the afternoon of the 21st. The Shincheonji Church, which has been identified as a source of the COVID-19 spread, is located in Nam-gu.

The first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in Seocho-gu, Seoul, was found to have visited the Shincheonji Gwacheon headquarters on the 16th. Gwacheon City has closed five Shincheonji-related facilities, including the main sanctuary and education center of the Gwacheon headquarters.

On the 22nd, Gwacheon City announced that starting from the 21st, it had closed five Shincheonji-related facilities, including the Gwacheon General Assembly Headquarters, which serves as the Shincheonji headquarters, and four surrounding buildings housing education centers.

This measure was taken after it was revealed that a believer residing in Seocho-gu, who was confirmed positive for COVID-19 on the 20th after visiting the Shincheonji Daegu Church on the 12th, attended a worship service at the Gwacheon Shincheonji headquarters on the 16th.

The confirmed patient from Seocho-gu is currently isolated at the National Medical Center, a government-designated hospital.

Gwacheon Mayor Kim Jong-cheon informed this fact through his Facebook, stating, "This confirmed patient had a meal with an acquaintance in Gwacheon on the 17th, showed symptoms from the 19th, and the acquaintance who dined together tested negative."

The exact movement path of the Seocho-gu confirmed patient within Gwacheon has not yet been precisely identified.

Mayor Kim said, "Under the current circumstances, the risk of community infection is considered very high," and urged, "Believers who have used the Gwacheon Shincheonji church facilities should visit the public health center screening clinics for consultation, even if they show no symptoms."

Gwacheon City has conducted disinfection and sterilization of all Shincheonji-related facilities that were closed, including the Gwacheon Shincheonji headquarters and education centers.