"Easter On-site Worship Services Expected to Increase... Intensive Crackdown on Sarang Jeil Church and Others"

On the 22nd, Seoul City and the police conducted on-site supervision of churches that insisted on holding weekend services to prevent the spread of COVID-19. A banner urging online worship was hung at Yonsei Central Church in Guro-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The Seoul Metropolitan Government has requested frontline churches to refrain from holding in-person Easter services on the 12th.

On the morning of the 10th, Yoo Yeon-sik, head of Seoul's Cultural Headquarters, stated at the regular COVID-19 briefing, "Some churches that had suspended services or held online services so far seem to want to hold in-person services this Easter weekend," adding, "We predict a 10% increase compared to the 1,914 churches that held in-person services last week."

Accordingly, the city is currently working with each district office to identify churches planning in-person services and is persuading them to replace these with online services.

Head Yoo urged, "We ask once again to suspend in-person services or replace them with online services," and requested, "If in-person services are unavoidable, please adhere to the seven major quarantine rules." The seven major quarantine rules presented by Seoul include temperature checks, facility disinfection, maintaining distance, preparing attendance lists, wearing masks, providing disinfectants, and prohibiting meal provision.

The city plans to conduct on-site inspections with district offices and the police in preparation for an increase in churches insisting on in-person services this week. The inspections will focus on churches resuming services on the 12th after suspending them and on Sarang Jeil Church in Seongbuk-gu, which is under a ban on gatherings until the 19th.

Head Yoo warned, "Since Sarang Jeil Church is ignoring the ban on gatherings and insisting on holding services, if they proceed with services again this weekend, we will file additional charges."

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