Health Authorities Order Antioch Church to Submit List of Tested Congregants

On the morning of the 28th, about 30 medical staff were deployed to set up a temporary screening clinic in the parking lot of Gwangju Antioch Church, which has about 2,000 congregants, but it remained quiet.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] The quarantine authorities of Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 28th that they have mandated the Antioch Church, where confirmed cases are spreading like wildfire, to submit the list of congregants who have undergone specimen collection so far.

Recently, as confirmed cases have been continuously emerging from religious groups nationwide, 31 confirmed cases have occurred in the Gwangju area over two days, centered around Antioch Church following TCS International School.

The Antioch Church sanctuary can accommodate about 2,000 worshippers, and the currently registered number of church members is reported to be around 700 to 800, according to Gwangju City.

The city’s quarantine authorities secured a list of 553 congregants who attended the service on the 24th, and after excluding duplicate attendance up to the fifth service, confirmed that the actual number was about 400.

So far, the quarantine authorities have confirmed 240 people who underwent specimen collection, and the church stated that including those tested at anonymous screening clinics, the total is 360. For the approximately 40 people who have not yet been tested, individual contact was made to ensure they undergo testing within the day.

Kim Jonghyo, Deputy Mayor for Administration, said, “Our city has taken measures to require the church to submit the list of congregants who have been tested. If testing is not completed by today, we will issue an administrative order to forcibly secure the list and take strong legal actions.”