Hwang Kyo-ahn: "It Is Not Right to Generalize Problems of Some Churches to All"

"The nuance that '10 million church members in the Republic of Korea can take responsibility' is inappropriate"

Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the United Future Party, is speaking at a discussion hosted by the Broadcast Reporters Club held at the Broadcasting Hall on Mokdongdong-ro, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, on the 1st. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lim Juhyung] Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the United Future Party, clarified his Facebook post claiming that "there are almost no cases of COVID-19 infections occurring within churches," stating, "It meant that it is inappropriate to generalize issues from some churches to all churches."

On the 1st, at a Broadcasting Reporters Club invitation debate held at the Broadcasting Hall in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, Hwang explained, "There are over 10 million church members in South Korea, and implying that these people should be held responsible is not appropriate," adding, "I hope there are no other misunderstandings."

In a post on his Facebook on the 28th of last month, Hwang had argued, "It is wrong to slander religion by exploiting public opinion about Shincheonji as if the religious community did not cooperate at all and as if churches are responsible for mass infections," and "Shincheonji and churches are different. It is said that there are almost no cases of infections occurring within churches."

In response, some criticized, questioning, "Isn't this distorting the facts when reports of mass infections in churches are coming out?"

Hyun Geun-taek, spokesperson for the Democratic Party's election committee, expressed in a statement the next day, "Has the government ever locked down Daegu? Have infections occurred within churches? If confident, Hwang should answer," and lamented, "Hwang, who consistently turns even the lives of citizens into political strife, deserves criticism as the leader of a public party."

Former Dongyang University professor Jin Joong-kwon also wrote on Facebook that day, "It is strange to side with some extreme factions within Christianity when church infection cases are being reported one after another," and pointed out, "The party leader is not a preacher."

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