Administrative Investigation of Shincheonji Headquarters Churches in Hwagok-dong and Sanggye-dong... Identifying Believers and Facility Status

Seoul City, "Legal Action for Submission of False Data Causing Quarantine Disruption or Intentional Concealment"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The Seoul Metropolitan Government will simultaneously conduct a comprehensive administrative investigation starting at 2 p.m. on the 17th into the two branch headquarters churches of Shincheonji Jesus Church located in Hwagok-dong, Gangseo-gu, and Sanggye-dong, Nowon-gu.

Yoo Yeon-sik, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Culture Headquarters, announced right after the regular briefing on the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) that "40 officials from the Culture Headquarters and the Civil Life Judicial Police Unit will be dispatched to conduct on-site investigations at the Shincheonji Hwagok-dong Bartholomew branch headquarters and the Sanggye-dong Seoul Jacob branch headquarters."

The Seoul Metropolitan Government explained that this administrative investigation is being conducted under the Framework Act on Administrative Investigations and the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act to secure accurate information related to Shincheonji in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Director Yoo claimed, "It has been continuously revealed that the lists of believers and various facility information already submitted by Shincheonji are inaccurate due to falsehoods or omissions, which is hindering effective quarantine activities."

According to Seoul, Shincheonji initially submitted only the list of believers and later submitted the list of trainees, among whom 116 people are unaccounted for, making it impossible to investigate them yet. Although 170 Shincheonji-related facilities were initially submitted, more than 50 additional locations have been identified through citizen reports, and investigations are still ongoing.

The Shincheonji Bartholomew branch under investigation is headquartered at Zion Church in Hwagok-dong and oversees Bucheon Church, Gimpo Church, and Gwangmyeong Church, with about 2,000 believers known to be in Seoul alone. The Seoul Jacob branch is headquartered at Seoul Church in Junggye-dong and oversees Dongdaemun Church, Guri Zion Church, Pocheon Church, among others, with about 12,000 believers in the Seoul area, making it the largest of the four branches in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province.

Through this investigation, Seoul plans to obtain more accurate information about Shincheonji Jesus Church’s believers, facilities, and various activities, and if intentional concealment or omission is found, take actions such as filing complaints according to relevant laws.

Director Yoo said, "Despite the COVID-19 situation not being fully resolved, there have been reports of secret gatherings at disguised Shincheonji facilities," adding, "We will make every effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through a thorough investigation of Shincheonji."

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