Daegu Mayor: "Hanmaeum Apartment Shincheonji Group Residence... Unrelated to Public Officials" (Comprehensive)

46 Shincheonji Members Confirmed with COVID-19 at Hanmaeum Apartment
Daegu City-Operated Rental Apartment... Overwhelming Shincheonji Ratio
Mayor Kwon Young-jin: "Unrelated to Public Officials... No Room for Special Treatment"

The entrance of Hanmaeum Apartment in Dalseo-gu, Daegu, where Korea's first cohort isolation for an apartment was implemented on the 7th, is being controlled. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Jiwon] Regarding the claim that a public official may have influenced the collective residence of Shincheonji members in 'Hanmaeum Apartment,' a rental apartment operated by Daegu City, Mayor Kwon Young-jin of Daegu stated that it is "completely unrelated."

At a regular briefing on the 8th, Mayor Kwon emphasized, "I hope people do not speak too hastily about whether (the collective residence of Shincheonji members in Hanmaeum Apartment) is related to public officials," adding, "It cannot be related to public officials."

Earlier, it was revealed that all 46 confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Hanmaeum Apartment in Dalseo-gu, Daegu, were Shincheonji members, sparking controversy. Among the 142 residents, 94 were known to be Shincheonji members.

This apartment is a rental housing where only unmarried female workers under 35 years old working at workplaces in Daegu can reside. Anyone meeting the conditions can apply for residence, but since the proportion of Shincheonji members among all households is overwhelmingly high, speculation arose that it might be a 'Shincheonji collective residence facility.'

However, Mayor Kwon stressed, "Currently, although the capacity is 148 people, only 137 are living here, so there are vacancies," and added, "If many people wanted to move in and the competition rate was fierce, public officials might give special favors, but this is not a place where such a possibility exists."

According to Daegu City, Hanmaeum Apartment is a five-story building built in 1985, without an elevator, and the rooms are relatively small, so it is known that not many people wish to move in.

Mayor Kwon analyzed, "It is believed that some Shincheonji members first moved in here and then introduced it to other (nearby Shincheonji) members, resulting in many members living in that apartment." Daegu City also explained that there is no section to indicate religion on the Hanmaeum Apartment application form.

Among the 46 confirmed COVID-19 cases from Hanmaeum Apartment, 9 are hospitalized, and 14 have been admitted to a life treatment center. Of the remaining 23, 20 were admitted to the life treatment center this morning, 1 is under management by Gyeongbuk Province, 1 is isolated in a separate space, and another was discharged from Daegu Medical Center on the 5th after recovery.

Regarding whether confirmed residents will continue to live in the apartment after treatment, Mayor Kwon said, "After treatment is completed and the situation is resolved, we will decide and take measures on how to handle the Shincheonji members living in group settings," adding, "For now, it is time to focus on quarantine."

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