Jeonju Church with Cluster Infection... 'Healing and Spiritual Gifts Gathering' Event
Possible COVID-19 Spread from Protestant Community
The photo is an archival image. It is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] A cluster COVID-19 infection has occurred at a church in Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do, raising renewed concerns about the spread of COVID-19 originating from churches.
In the past, COVID-19 spread mainly through some churches, leading to public backlash and apologies from the Christian community, as well as efforts to contain the situation. However, this recent incident has sparked social outrage once again, making controversy inevitable.
According to Jeollabuk-do health authorities on the 4th, a gathering was held on the 3rd floor of a commercial building housing a church in Jeonju on the 25th and 26th of last month. The gathering was known as a healing and spiritual gift meeting. It is one of the Protestant gatherings where believers come together to heal illnesses, as Jesus did in the Bible.
The church where the gathering took place is usually small enough to accommodate about 10 congregants, but on this day, more than 30 attendees reportedly gathered.
A health official from the provincial authorities expressed concerns about the spread of COVID-19 through a media outlet. The official said, "If masks had been worn and social distancing observed, this situation would not have occurred." They added, "Since no attendance list was created, we requested the list from the organizers."
The authorities plan to close the religious facility and continue additional testing and risk assessments for the congregants.
On August 15, 2020, Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church is speaking at a rally condemning the government and ruling party held in front of Donghwa Duty Free Shop in Jongno-gu, Seoul. / Yonhap News
◆ Protestant Churches: How Long Will They Threaten COVID-19 Prevention Measures?
Previously, COVID-19 cases continuously emerged mainly from Protestant churches. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, which had been slowing down, surged due to the so-called Protestant church-related spread.
There were also issues with identifying locations. At that time, according to Seoul city, a church announced on its website that 12 people tested positive and one was pending, but it was confirmed that these individuals were not actually active in Seoul, causing confusion in quarantine efforts.
Earlier, followers of Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon, who is the head pastor of Sarang Jeil Church, also caused social controversy by attending the large-scale "Liberation Day rally" on August 15, 2020.
As a result, citizens' anxiety and anger are growing. Kim, a company employee in his 40s, said, "Is it Protestant churches again? It's really tiresome," and raised his voice, "At this rate, the number of confirmed cases could quickly reach 1,000 again."
Another company employee in his 30s, Park, said, "Whenever we start to forget, COVID-19 breaks out again from Protestant churches," adding, "It's very unsettling. Just when we thought COVID-19 was calming down, it seems it will spread again."
◆ Despite Active Apologies, Public Opinion Worsens; Additional Spread in Local Communities Possible
Given the situation, in January last year, the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK), the Korean YMCA National Federation, the Korean YWCA Federation, and other allied organizations and civic groups held a joint press conference at the Korea Church Centennial Memorial Hall, apologizing by saying, "We feel a deep sense of responsibility in the face of public sentiment that says 'I'm tired of churches.'
However, trust in Korean Protestant churches during the COVID-19 crisis has significantly declined. According to a survey conducted by the Pastoral Data Research Institute, a Protestant public opinion research organization, in January of the same year, 76% of respondents said they "do not trust or hardly trust" Korean churches regarding government COVID-19 prevention measures, while only 21% said they "trust very much or somewhat." The survey was conducted online over four days with 1,000 general citizens.
When responses were divided between Protestants and non-Protestants, 70% of Protestants said they trusted the churches, but only 9% of non-Protestants did, showing a stark contrast. When asked whether the government can restrict religious freedom for public interest, 86% of respondents said "restrictions are possible."
Meanwhile, in Jeollabuk-do, 29 new confirmed cases were added, including 17 from religious gatherings over two days. However, since the attendance status of all religious meeting participants has not yet been fully identified, the possibility of further community spread cannot be ruled out.
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