[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Seul-gi] Daegu Metropolitan City has stated that the rumor of 'Shincheonji mask proselytizing,' which is spreading through online communities and social networking services (SNS), is "not true."
On the 28th, Daegu Metropolitan City posted on its official Facebook page, saying, "The people distributing masks to each household are not Shincheonji members but the heads of each town and village, community leaders, and public officials."
Daegu explained, "We distributed 1.9 million masks secured on February 26 to each district and county. The eight districts and counties are currently distributing or planning to distribute masks to each household through the heads of towns and villages, community leaders, and public officials."
On the afternoon of the 27th, at the Shincheonji Bedro Jiseongjeon in Buk-gu, Gwangju (an administrative disposition notice indicating the closure of the facility is attached to the entrance of Gwangju Church). Gwangju City issued a forced closure order for all Shincheonji-related facilities in the area on this day in accordance with the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act. [Image source=Yonhap News]
They added, "We ask for a 'warm word' rather than suspicious eyes toward the heads of towns and villages, community leaders, and public officials who are working hard in the cold weather."
In addition to the supply from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Daegu has supplied an additional 1 million masks secured in advance, and in Nam-gu, Daegu, where the Shincheonji Daegu Church is located and the number of confirmed cases is approaching 500, measures have been taken to ensure that each resident receives one mask.
Meanwhile, recently, false rumors have appeared on online communities and SNS, such as "Shincheonji believers visit each house to distribute masks as a proselytizing activity" and "They deliberately cough on these masks to spread the virus."
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