Government Defines 'Early Stage of Large-Scale Resurgence'... "Strict Response to Sarang Jeil Church, etc."

Difficulties in Measures Due to Inaccurate Submission List from Sarang Jeil Church
Senior Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon Reported... "Strict Response to Non-cooperation with Quarantine"

Park Neung-hoo, the 1st Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of Health and Welfare), is entering the emergency Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) meeting held at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 16th. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyo-jin] On the 16th, the government defined the current situation related to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) as the "early stage of a large-scale resurgence" and decided to strengthen comprehensive government-level measures.

Park Neung-hoo, the 1st Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of Health and Welfare), said at a regular briefing held at the Government Seoul Office Building on the same day, "The current pattern appears to be the early stage of a large-scale resurgence," adding, "If the spread is not controlled to the maximum extent, serious damage could occur due to nationwide transmission and a rapid increase in patients."

Deputy Head Park also stated, "The government recognizes the current situation very seriously and is making comprehensive government efforts to suppress further spread."

Referring to the daily new confirmed cases soaring to the high 200s, Deputy Head Park diagnosed, "Cluster infections occurring simultaneously in multiple places such as churches, restaurants, markets, and schools are spreading again within the local community, and the areas where infections occur are gradually expanding beyond the metropolitan area, raising concerns about nationwide infection spread."

"Active Cooperation Requested from Sarang Jeil Church, etc."
"Non-compliance with Quarantine Measures Undermines Everyone's Safety"

Deputy Head Park urged cooperation regarding Sarang Jeil Church in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, and Uri Jeil Church in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, which are pointed out as the starting points of the large-scale COVID-19 spread, saying, "Uri Jeil Church is in the process of completing testing and quarantine for 600 church members under cooperation, and about 100 patients have been identified and are undergoing isolation treatment. In contrast, Sarang Jeil Church requires more active cooperation from the church and its members."

The quarantine authorities have secured a list of about 4,000 members of Sarang Jeil Church, quarantined about 3,000, and conducted diagnostic tests on about 800, but are facing difficulties due to inaccuracies in the list submitted by the church.

Deputy Head Park revealed, "As of yesterday, about 800 people related to Sarang Jeil Church were tested, and about 200 were confirmed positive, showing a high positivity rate of approximately 25%."

He warned, "Acts of non-compliance or obstruction of essential quarantine measures such as epidemiological investigations, quarantine notifications, and diagnostic testing significantly undermine the safety of our entire society, and strict legal responses including prosecution will be taken."

The government and Seoul city have filed charges against Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon, the head pastor of Sarang Jeil Church, for ignoring self-quarantine regulations and not cooperating with quarantine measures. As of 12 noon on the same day, the cumulative confirmed cases at Sarang Jeil Church, where cluster infections occurred, have increased to 249.

Jeon Gwang-hoon, Senior Pastor of Sarang Jeil Church.

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