Jeonnam Province Begins Full Investigation of 13,597 Shincheonji Followers

Jeonnam Provincial Government Office

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Province announced on the 27th that it has launched an urgent full-scale survey targeting 13,597 Shincheonji believers across 22 cities and counties.

The full-scale survey will be conducted over two weeks starting from that day, focusing on early detection of symptomatic individuals through phone calls with all believers. Continuous monitoring and strengthened inspections will follow.

The survey will be conducted by designated public officials assigned per city or county (20-30 believers per person), using phone calls under the supervision of observers appointed by the Shincheonji church.

The survey items include contact with confirmed cases, fever and respiratory symptoms, family symptoms, and whether COVID-19 testing has been conducted.

Symptomatic individuals identified through the survey will be immediately placed under self-quarantine and tested at screening clinics, while asymptomatic individuals will enter active monitoring for the next two weeks. During active monitoring, self-quarantine will be recommended for high-risk occupation groups (medical institutions, social welfare facilities, daycare centers, kindergartens, and elementary schools).

In cases where believers are unreachable or their whereabouts are unknown, a cooperation system with rapid response teams of the police stations in charge of the respective cities and counties has been established to take swift action.

Jeonnam Province will take thorough measures to maintain security, including notifying related parties of disciplinary actions and civil/criminal liabilities in case of list leaks, and requiring confidentiality agreements to prevent disclosure of the list.

Jeonnam Governor Kim Young-rok, during a video conference with mayors and county heads on the same day, stated, “Although there have been no COVID-19 confirmed cases related to Shincheonji within Jeonnam yet, if infected individuals enter the community and cases increase explosively, it could become unmanageable,” and urged, “Cities and counties should cooperate responsibly to ensure the survey proceeds swiftly.”