Seoul City "Jeon Gwang-hoon, Deliberate Delay in COVID-19 Testing for Followers... Plans to File Charges" (Update)

Senior Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church, who was indicted for violating the Public Official Election Act, is responding to reporters' questions as he enters the courtroom for the first trial held on the 29th at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Hyung-gil] The Seoul Metropolitan Government has decided to file charges against Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon and related parties at Seongbuk-gu Sarang Jeil Church in connection with a COVID-19 cluster infection.

Seo Jeong-hyeop, Acting Mayor of Seoul (First Deputy Mayor for Administration), stated at an emergency briefing held on the morning of the 16th, "Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon, despite being a responsible subject for quarantine and a person required to self-isolate, violated self-quarantine and deliberately delayed the diagnostic testing of believers by spreading false information."

He continued, "This is a clear violation of the law that threatens the safety and lives of the community," and emphasized, "We plan to file charges against Pastor Jeon and related parties of Sarang Jeil Church for violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act."

As of midnight on the same day, Seoul reported 146 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 1,987.

The largest number of cases, 107, are related to Seongbuk-gu Sarang Jeil Church, followed by 6 related to Yongin-si Uri Jeil Church, 2 related to Yangcheon-gu Doesaegim Church, 1 related to a nursing hospital in Gwanak-gu, 2 contacts with confirmed cases from other cities/provinces, and 9 others. Fourteen cases are currently under investigation for their infection routes. Five cases are related to overseas contacts.

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