Gyeonggi-do Restricts 137 Churches Violating Prevention Rules with 'Close Contact Gathering Limits'
"Complete Ban on Gatherings if Administrative Order is Violated"
Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung is giving an emergency briefing on COVID-19 prevention and religious facility gatherings on the afternoon of the 11th at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government briefing room. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] Gyeonggi Province has issued its first administrative order restricting close-contact gatherings for 137 churches that failed to comply with the COVID-19 infection prevention guidelines.
Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, stated, "Everyone is going through a difficult time and facing a life-threatening crisis," adding, "It is time to share the pain little by little." He also emphasized that if the administrative order restricting gatherings is violated, a 'complete ban on gatherings' will be inevitable.
On the 17th, in a post on his Facebook page, Governor Lee said, "The religious community agreed to suspend the administrative order on the condition of complying with infection prevention guidelines and to accept the gathering restriction order if the guidelines were violated, but there were as many as 137 places that held collective worship without adhering to these rules."
He continued, "There was much deliberation and conflict between religious freedom and protecting the lives of the people, but according to the Constitution, which allows restricting religious freedom within the scope that does not infringe on its essential content for the safety of citizens' lives, and the Infectious Disease Control Act, which permits restricting or banning gatherings for quarantine purposes, it was unavoidable to issue an administrative order restricting gatherings for churches violating the guidelines."
He added, "Currently, among the 265 infected cases in Gyeonggi Province, 71 people, accounting for 26%, are related to church gatherings, more than twice the 31 related to Shincheonji, making direct administrative action against churches unavoidable."
He further noted, "Germany has also implemented a complete ban on religious gatherings, and please understand the situation where a large-scale outbreak of 47 confirmed cases occurred at Eunhyeui Gang Church, which violated the gathering guidelines."
Governor Lee stated, "For churches violating the recommended guidelines, additional measures have been added, including banning group meals within the church and recording and retaining the personal information of participants by time slot. Gatherings that do not comply with these guidelines are prohibited," emphasizing again, "If the gathering restriction order is violated, criminal penalties under relevant laws, claims for quarantine costs related to infections caused by the violation, and an immediate complete ban on gatherings will be inevitable."
On the 16th, 40 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed among the believers, bringing the total to 46 confirmed cases at Eunhyeui Gang Church in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do. [Image source=Yonhap News]
◆ Administrative Order Issued to Completely Ban Gatherings if Close-Contact Gathering Restriction Order Is Violated
Earlier, on the 15th, Gyeonggi Province issued an administrative order restricting close-contact Sunday worship gatherings from the 17th to the 29th targeting 137 churches that held worship services without complying with COVID-19 infection prevention guidelines.
Kim Hee-gyeom, First Deputy Governor of Gyeonggi Province, held a press conference at the provincial office on the 16th, stating, "We requested voluntary restraint from gatherings and compliance with infection prevention guidelines from the religious community, but infections through religious gatherings have continued to spread," adding, "To protect the lives and safety of residents, we have no choice but to issue an administrative order restricting close-contact gatherings for non-compliant churches."
The close-contact gathering restriction order allows indoor worship but requires compliance with seven guidelines: the existing five infection prevention rules?checking for symptoms such as fever, cough, and sore throat before entering the church, wearing masks upon entry, providing and using hand sanitizer inside the church, maintaining distance between worshippers during services, and disinfecting the church before and after worship?plus prohibiting meal provision during gatherings and recording the attendance list of worship participants.
If even one of these guidelines is violated, a complete ban on gatherings will be enforced starting from the 23rd.
If the 137 churches fail to comply with the close-contact gathering restriction order, a fine of up to 3 million KRW will be imposed under Article 80, Clause 7 of the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act.
Furthermore, if a church violates the close-contact gathering restriction order and holds religious gatherings resulting in confirmed COVID-19 cases, claims for quarantine costs, treatment expenses, and other related costs may be pursued against the infection source.
On the 16th, as 40 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed among the believers, bringing the total to 46 at Eunhyeui Gang Church in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, officials from the Environmental Sanitation Department of Sujeong District Office are conducting disinfection around the church. [Image source=Yonhap News]
◆ Confirmed Cases Among Worshippers at Seongnam's 'Eunhyeui Gang' Church... Community Transmission Becomes a Reality
Despite government recommendations to refrain from gatherings, confirmed cases have emerged among worshippers at Seongnam's 'Eunhyeui Gang' Church in Gyeonggi Province, which held services on the 1st and 8th, making community transmission a reality. As of midnight on the 16th, 49 people, including the pastor couple and worshippers, were infected with COVID-19 at this church.
On the morning of the 17th, a 14-year-old teenager living in Eunhaeng 2-dong, Jungwon-gu, Seongnam, and a 53-year-old woman living in Sadang 1-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, were additionally confirmed positive. The teenager's mother (52), who also attended the church, was confirmed infected on the 16th.
Additionally, a 34-year-old male worshipper living in Songsan-dong, Uijeongbu, who attended the service on the 1st and works as a bottled water delivery worker in northern Seoul and Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, was confirmed positive on the 17th.
Infections among contacts of the worshippers are also occurring. A 75-year-old woman living in Baekhyeon-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, who had contact with a worshipper and lived nearby, was confirmed positive on the 16th. This is the first case presumed to be community transmission linked to the 'Eunhyeui Gang' Church.
These church worshippers have been confirmed to reside in Seongnam, Seoul, Incheon, Bucheon, and northern Gyeonggi Province. There is also a resident from Cheonan, Chungnam, and testing is underway for one female worshipper.
Seongnam City stated, "A full survey of Eunhyeui Gang Church worshippers was conducted, and as of 6 p.m. on the 17th, 52 worshippers have been confirmed positive for COVID-19."
Meanwhile, amid the emergency caused by cluster infections linked to church services, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) is recommending voluntary cooperation from churches to refrain from gatherings.
Kim Kang-lip, the CDSCH First General Coordinator, said on the 17th, "We are discussing measures in the meeting body such as providing technical support or guidelines to enable online worship, specific guidance on necessary preventive measures for religious events, and prior notification of potential issues if these are violated."
He added, "(Restrictions on worship) are very sensitive matters," emphasizing, "Infringement on citizens' rights requires a balanced judgment comparing the benefits obtained through such infringement."
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