Sarangjeil Church "Facility Closure Order is Invalid, Will Take Legal Action if Not Withdrawn"

On the 29th, church officials and legal representatives held a press conference in front of Sarang Jeil Church in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, announcing lawsuits for invalidation and damages related to the suspension of worship services and the closure order./Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] Sarang Jeil Church in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, announced that the suspension of operations and facility closure orders against the church are invalid and stated that they will take legal action if these are not withdrawn.

On the 29th, Sarang Jeil Church held a press conference and said, "The suspension and closure orders issued by Seongbuk-gu Office against Sarang Jeil Church are invalid due to serious flaws caused by the incorrect application of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act." Article 49 of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act stipulates that the Minister of Health and Welfare can order suspension or closure of facilities that do not comply with quarantine guidelines.

The church stated, "Sarang Jeil Church has thoroughly implemented preventive measures such as creating lists, wearing masks, and using self-diagnostic kits, and strictly maintained social distancing within the church," adding, "Therefore, this suspension order is clearly flawed and serious due to the misapplication of the law and should be considered invalid."

They continued, "The head of Seongbuk-gu Office must immediately cancel the suspension order against the church and apologize for the unlawful enforcement of the law; otherwise, we will pursue all legal measures."

They also claimed they will file a compensation lawsuit against the state on behalf of churches harmed by the government's complete ban on in-person worship services. The church said, "Among the 50,000 churches nationwide, many churches that share the purpose of the People’s Revolutionary Party and Sarang Jeil Church will make the state pay an appropriate price for reckless church and religious oppression," adding, "Our goal is to set a good precedent so that state authorities never again persecute or unjustly suppress churches."

Sarang Jeil Church had previously defied the ban on in-person worship under the social distancing level 4 measures on the 18th. As a result, they received an order to suspend operations (from July 22 to 31) and a fine of 1.5 million won from the district office. They applied for a suspension of execution at the Seoul Administrative Court, but it was dismissed on the 24th. Nevertheless, they held in-person worship again on the 25th, prompting Seongbuk-gu Office to proceed with facility closure procedures.

In April last year, Sarang Jeil Church was also prosecuted and is currently on trial for violating Seoul City's gathering ban order by holding on-site worship services. In August last year, a COVID-19 cluster infection involving hundreds of people occurred at the church, resulting in a two-week facility closure.