Daegu City Mobilizes Police for Shincheonji Administrative Investigation... "Verifying Whether Data Was Concealed" (Comprehensive)

Over 90 Officials Including Civil Servants, Police, and Epidemiologists Deployed
Executive Residences Including Dadaeojipajang Also Subject to Investigation

Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Jiwon] Daegu City has launched an administrative investigation using police forces targeting the Shincheonji Daegu Church, which is considered the epicenter of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) spread.

According to the city on the 12th, an investigation team composed of about 90 members including Daegu city officials, police officers, and epidemiological investigators began conducting an administrative investigation from 10 a.m. on the same day on the Shincheonji Daegu Church and four residences of key executives including the Dadaeoh branch leader.

The Dadaeoh branch oversees Daegu and Gyeongbuk among the 12 branches of Shincheonji. The city plans to focus on whether there has been any concealment of data necessary for epidemiological investigation, such as the list of Shincheonji believers and their collective residences.

To this end, the city will also check closed-circuit television (CCTV) inside the facilities, computers, various ledgers, and documents.

This administrative investigation is a measure to preemptively block various attempts to commemorate the founding day of Shincheonji on the 14th. It is also interpreted as being influenced by the mass release from quarantine of 5,647 Shincheonji believers who tested negative for COVID-19 starting at midnight on that day.

Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin explained at a regular briefing held at Daegu City Hall on the same day, "Considering the situation where search warrants were dismissed by the prosecution even after police complaints, this (administrative investigation) was carried out under the judgment that it is the last possible measure Daegu City can take."

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