Seoul City Files Murder Charges Against Lee Man-hee, Shincheonji Chairman

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon is delivering opening remarks at the 'District Mayors Meeting on COVID-19' held on the 26th of last month in the Planning Situation Room at Seoul City Hall. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] The Seoul Metropolitan Government has filed charges against Lee Man-hee, the head of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, and its leadership for murder and other crimes.

On the 1st at around 8 p.m., Seoul announced that it had reported Lee Man-hee, the head of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, along with the leaders of 12 branches, to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on charges of murder, injury, and violations of the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act.

Seoul stated, "The accused have refused to undergo testing and have taken no measures to ensure that believers actively cooperate with quarantine authorities to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19)." It also added, "Furthermore, the Shincheonji Church submitted incomplete or false lists of believers to the government and various local governments."

It further explained the reason for the charges: "The actions of the accused constitute murder and injury under criminal law, and there are allegations of violating the Infectious Disease Prevention Act by submitting inaccurate lists of church members, which led to the decision to file charges."

Mayor Park Won-soon said, "The prosecution must conduct a swift and strict investigation into the Shincheonji leadership, who are the core responsible parties in this incident, to ensure severe punishment."

Regarding statements from Shincheonji officials that Lee Man-hee has already undergone testing, the city said, "Although there have been some media reports, the official confirmation of whether testing was conducted has not been made."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.