Hong Kong SCMP "Chinese Government Launches Investigation of 20,000 Shincheonji Followers"

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] It has been reported that the Chinese government has begun investigating Shincheonji Church members within China.

On the 27th (local time), the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP), citing a researcher tracking the status of Shincheonji in China, reported, "Chinese authorities have started investigating Shincheonji members," adding, "They are investigating some members who visited Korea."

The Chinese government is also reportedly investigating whether Shincheonji members in China have been infected with the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). However, the extent of the investigation so far remains unclear.

The researcher stated, "Chinese authorities are investigating not only Shincheonji members in Hubei Province, where COVID-19 first broke out, but also members in other regions."

Particularly, the Chinese government's focus is said to be on the funeral of Shincheonji leader Lee Man-hee's elder brother, which was held in January this year. It is presumed that whether any Chinese attendees were present at the funeral is the main concern of the Chinese government. The researcher told SCMP, "So far, there have been no issues reported."

Lee Man-hee, the founder of Shincheonji, lost his elder brother, who was receiving treatment in the emergency room of Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo, Gyeongbuk, on the 31st of last month. The funeral was held until the 2nd of this month, after which a COVID-19 cluster infection occurred centered around this hospital. SCMP introduced that in Korea, COVID-19 outbreaks occurred in two regions, both related to Shincheonji.

It is known that there are approximately 20,000 Shincheonji members in China. A source closely connected to senior Shincheonji officials in China said, "Shincheonji has set a goal to recruit an additional 30,000 members in China this year, in addition to the existing 20,000 members."

Earlier, SCMP reported that Shincheonji members have been active in major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Dalian, and Shenyang.

In particular, SCMP reported that there were 200 Shincheonji members in Wuhan, Hubei Province, who stopped their gatherings after recognizing the seriousness of COVID-19 in December last year.

The Chinese government has so far banned all religious group activities. However, churches and others have continued religious activities through cyberspace and other means.