Shincheonji: "No Reason to Encourage Communal Living Among Believers... They Simply Live Near the Church"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Shinwon Yoon] The Shincheonji Church of Jesus (Shincheonji) recently stated regarding the Daegu Hanmaeum Apartment, where a group of Shincheonji believers were confirmed positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), that "Shincheonji has never encouraged communal living among its believers, nor is there any reason to do so."

On the 11th, Shincheonji released a statement saying, "There are welfare-related residences and dormitories for head instructors, instructors, and evangelists, but it is not true that we have purchased specific apartments or housing complexes for believers to live in," emphasizing this point.

They continued, "It is common for believers to live near their churches in any religion, and it is the personal freedom of the believers. The church does not interfere with the personal lives of its believers," adding, "To describe this as a 'Shincheonji communal residence' as if the church operates it is an expression that could cause misunderstanding among the public."

Regarding the controversial Daegu Hanmaeum Apartment, they stated, "The Shincheonji Daegu Church is located near a subway station, close to Apsan Mountain, Duryu Park, Seongdangmot, and countless apartments, villas, and row houses are nearby," and argued, "It is a baseless assumption to describe the area where believers choose to live because of its proximity to the church and convenient transportation and residential environment as a 'Shincheonji-occupied communal residence.'"

They emphasized that the apartment, built in 1985, is an old rental apartment in an unpopular residential area with vacancies despite its low price, and that portraying it as a result of special favors or collusion is also unfounded.

Shincheonji reiterated, "Shincheonji is not a real estate agency that arranges residences for believers, has never introduced Hanmaeum Apartment as a residence for believers, and it is not a church-owned residential facility. We have no relation with Daegu City."

Regarding the Seoul Metropolitan Government's announcement on the 9th that it is proceeding with the cancellation of the permit for the 'New Heaven New Earth Tabernacle of Testimony Jesus Mission,' Shincheonji stated, "It is merely a missionary corporation owned by Shincheonji," and criticized, "On the 10th, we received notification of a local tax audit on 20 real estate properties owned by Shincheonji. This appears to be an administrative action that abuses investigative authority by labeling Shincheonji as an illegal organization, neglecting the focus on quarantine administration during this critical time."

They also said, "We bear a deep sense of responsibility and are doing our best and making efforts regarding the many confirmed cases among Shincheonji believers due to the COVID-19 situation, which has caused great concern to the public," but added, "However, we oppose some local government heads using the COVID-19 crisis, which concerns the lives and safety of the people, as a tool for political strife. We ask that the focus be on quarantine, not politics."

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