Gwangju TCS International School, Chungnam Seocheon-gun Church, and Gyeongbuk Sangju BTJ Yeolbam Center
Citizens' Anger Rises Over Churches Amid Sporadic Cluster Infections
[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] "Church again?" "Ban gatherings at churches first"
As COVID-19 cases centered around churches show no signs of decreasing, negative public perception toward Christianity is spreading widely.
There is also growing criticism of quarantine authorities for not imposing appropriate gathering bans or for trying to keep as much distance as possible from religious facilities including churches, leading to what is being called 'church phobia.' Some voices caution that this should not turn into simple hatred toward a specific religion.
As of the 5th, the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases related to churches has reached hundreds. Representative cases include confirmed cases linked to Gwangju TCS International School and Antioch Church TCS Ace International School. Starting with 100 cases from TCS International School on the 26th of last month, a total of 290 confirmed cases have been reported. Dozens of confirmed cases have also been linked to churches in Seocheon-gun, Chungnam, Boryeong prayer centers, and the BTJ Prayer Center in Sangju, Gyeongbuk. Sporadic cluster infections also frequently involve churches.
Given this situation, public sentiment toward religious facilities is growing increasingly cold day by day. Especially as cluster infections repeatedly occur in poorly managed places such as unauthorized educational facilities of churches, newly established churches, and churches without denominations, and as it has been revealed that quarantine rules were not properly followed, this 'Christianity hatred' is intensifying. Voices of criticism are rising against those who ignored quarantine rules and insisted on meetings, assemblies, and overnight stays, causing cluster infection outbreaks.
This situation is even more pronounced online. Some netizens freely use aggressive expressions targeting Christianity and church members, such as 'church bug' and 'dog Christian.'
Because of this, on the 29th of last month, the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK), the Korea YMCA National Federation, and the Korea YWCA Federation apologized for churches and church-related facilities becoming sources of COVID-19 infections and urged the Korean church to reflect on itself.
However, some argue that negative perceptions toward certain churches or religious people should not lead to blind hatred or anger toward all churches. There are concerns that indiscriminate criticism and hatred toward Protestantism are causing even church members who are COVID-19 testing targets to hide. In fact, around Antioch Church, a rumor spread that "if you say you are a member of our church, even a negative test will turn positive," leading church members to avoid mass testing at church screening clinics.
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