Amid continued backlash from the Christian community over the police search and seizure of a church and its senior pastor in Busan, strong voices of condemnation have also emerged in the Gyeongnam region.
On the 16th, 70 civil society organizations, including the Gyeongnam Christian Council, the Gyeongnam Holy City Movement Headquarters, the Gyeongnam Alliance for the Protection of Right Values, and the Gyeongnam Mahanayim Elders' Association, held a press conference in the briefing room of the Gyeongnam Provincial Council, strongly criticizing the incident.
They stated, "On the 12th, an unprecedented search and seizure was conducted at the main sanctuary of Segero Church in Busan and the senior pastor's office," and explained, "While the case was about a violation of the Public Official Election Act, the grounds specified in the warrant were related to a violation of the Local Education Autonomy Act that occurred during the Busan superintendent of education election."
They condemned, "The contents specified in the warrant, which permitted a search and seizure even inside a religious facility?an unprecedented move?constitute a grave violation of Article 20 of the Constitution, which stipulates the separation of church and state. This is a coercive and violent act reminiscent of the Japanese colonial era, a clear oppression of religious facilities, and a serious threat to liberal democracy. It is absolutely unacceptable."
Christian organizations and civil society groups in the Gyeongnam region are holding a press conference condemning the Busan Police Agency's search and seizure of Segero Church and the senior pastor's office. Photo by Lee Seryung
The organizations claimed that the police conducted the search and seizure on the grounds that Senior Pastor Son Hyunbo used a microphone during worship services or at the Save Korea National Emergency Prayer Meeting to support a particular candidate or to urge people to vote for that candidate, thereby engaging in electioneering through his official duties.
They countered, "Pastor Son has never supported a particular candidate or urged anyone to vote for a specific candidate, and it is only natural to use a microphone in a sanctuary with 5,000 seats."
They further emphasized, "The fact that the police and the court conducted a search and seizure of church facilities and the senior pastor's office is not only unprecedented under the Public Official Election Act but is also the first such case in the history of the Korean church. This is a tragic dark chapter, an act of ruthless abuse of state power, and can only be described as the worst form of human rights oppression."
They added, "The Korean church and civil society organizations will not stand idly by. In particular, we will hold those responsible for falsely accusing the clergy fully accountable."
Previously, on the morning of the 12th, the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Investigation Unit of the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency executed a search and seizure warrant at Segero Church in Gangseo-gu, Busan, and against Pastor Son Hyunbo.
According to the police, Pastor Son is suspected of filming a video conversation with Jeong Seungyun, then a candidate for Busan superintendent of education, inside the church during the Busan superintendent of education by-election held on April 2, and posting it on social networking services (SNS) and other platforms.
The Busan Metropolitan Election Commission determined that the video violated the election law and reported Jeong and others to the police.
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