Park Won-soon "Shincheonji is an antisocial group harmful to public interest... No reason for prosecution to hesitate in investigation"
"If the prosecution had conducted a search and seizure, it would have greatly helped government and local governments' quarantine efforts"
[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon, Intern Reporter Lim Ju-hyung] Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon announced that he has secured documents indicating that Shincheonji Jesus Church of the Tabernacle of the Testimony (Shincheonji) engaged in illegal evangelism activities, and urged the prosecution to investigate Shincheonji.
On the 27th, Mayor Park appeared on TBS's "Kim Eo-jun's News Factory" and stated, "We have identified Shincheonji's illegal activities, and it is clear that Shincheonji is an antisocial organization harmful to the public interest," adding, "There is no reason to hesitate in prosecutorial investigation."
Earlier, the Seoul Metropolitan Government disclosed internal Shincheonji documents related to personnel called the "Special Task Force." According to Seoul City, the Special Task Force is known as Shincheonji's proselytizing personnel who secretly infiltrate other churches or religious facilities to poach believers, commonly referred to as "harvesters."
Mayor Park explained the circumstances of securing the documents, saying, "These documents were mixed among many others we obtained during administrative investigations," and "We carefully reviewed each one to find them."
He continued, "The reason we earnestly sought these documents was that the lists of trainees and believers submitted by Shincheonji contained many inaccuracies," and "From the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak, we recognized the existence of these harvesters and saw them as a loophole in quarantine measures."
He also pointed out, "If the prosecution had conducted a search and seizure earlier, it would have greatly helped the government and local governments in their quarantine efforts," adding, "Since Seoul City does not have actual authority to conduct search and seizure, we had no choice but to obtain such investigations through Shincheonji's cooperation."
Regarding the cancellation of the establishment permit for Shincheonji's incorporated association, "Saehaneul Saettang Evidence Tabernacle Evangelical Jesus Church Mission," he said, "It was because Shincheonji was an antisocial organization beyond religious freedom," emphasizing, "We confirmed through documents secured by Seoul City that Shincheonji engaged in illegal evangelism activities such as deceptive proselytizing and disguised evangelism, and viewed other religions and denominations as targets for destruction and conquest, shamelessly poaching believers."
Meanwhile, Mayor Park has repeatedly claimed that Shincheonji is responsible for the COVID-19 outbreak. On the 1st, he filed a complaint with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office against Shincheonji Chairman Lee Man-hee and 12 branch leaders on charges including murder, and also posted on Facebook urging Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl to arrest Chairman Lee.
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