"Detain Jeon Gwang-hoon Again" Public Outrage Over COVID Surge

COVID-19 Concerns Amid Gwangbokjeol City Rally
Over 200,000 Supporters in 3 Days for Jeon Kwang-hoon's Imprisonment Petition
Jung Eun-kyung: "COVID Spreading Rapidly"

Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church, who tested positive for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), is seen leaving the Sarang Jeil Church parsonage in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 17th and boarding a Seongbuk Public Health Center vehicle. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] "Who on earth is Jeon Gwang-hoon?", "What is this country coming to because of one person!", "Re-imprison Jeon Gwang-hoon!"

As the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) originating from Sarang Jeil Church in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, has expanded not only in the metropolitan area but also nationwide, criticism against the senior pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon is pouring in.

He is being criticized for not only violating self-quarantine rules himself but also encouraging church members to participate in the Liberation Day rally on the 15th. A petition demanding the re-imprisonment of Pastor Jeon, who was released on bail, has surpassed 200,000 signatures.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH) on the 19th, as of noon the previous day (18th), the cumulative number of confirmed cases related to Sarang Jeil Church totaled 457. Since the first confirmed case on the 12th, COVID-19 cases have surged nationwide including the metropolitan area within six days. Among the 4,066 church members whose presence is being tracked due to the possibility of further infections nationwide, 630 remain unaccounted for.

Especially as controversies over Pastor Jeon's attitude have also arisen, citizens are outraged over the COVID-19 spread originating from Sarang Jeil Church.

On the 17th, when he was transferred, media cameras captured him smiling brightly while wearing a so-called 'mask under the chin' instead of properly wearing a mask. This behavior, violating self-quarantine rules and as the senior pastor of a church with hundreds of confirmed COVID-19 cases, has drawn inevitable criticism for being inappropriate.

Furthermore, on the 15th, Pastor Jeon himself participated in the Liberation Day rally and made remarks criticizing the quarantine authorities and the current government. At the rally, he said, "I am perfectly fine now. I have no fever and no symptoms at all." Two days later, he was diagnosed positive for COVID-19.

On the afternoon of the 15th, Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church is speaking at a rally condemning the government and ruling party held in front of Donghwa Duty Free Shop in Jongno-gu, Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Citizens are expressing strong resentment. Kim, a company employee in his 40s who said he works in Seoul, said, "The COVID-19 spread caused by the Gwanghwamun rally is really serious," adding, "If you catch COVID-19 because of Jeon Gwang-hoon, will he take responsibility? How can he be so irresponsible? Is that the stance of the church?"

Another office worker in his 30s, Park, said, "(COVID-19) is a matter directly related to life," and raised his voice, "He must be immediately arrested and punished. This is absolutely incomprehensible."

In response, a Blue House petition demanding the re-arrest of Pastor Jeon gained nearly 300,000 supporters within three days of posting. The petition titled "We urge the re-imprisonment of the 'national nuisance' Jeon**" posted on the 15th had 299,088 supporters as of 8:30 a.m. on the 19th.

The petitioner stated, "The church must be the last bastion of social safety nets," and urged, "Please make sure to re-imprison Jeon Gwang-hoon! His arrest is a new start for quarantine."

Meanwhile, there have been cases of confirmed patients related to Sarang Jeil Church repeatedly escaping or fleeing from home and hospital quarantine measures, showing deviant behavior.

According to Paju City on the 19th, A (the 177th confirmed case from Pyeongtaek City), who escaped from Paju Hospital early the previous day, was caught by police at a coffee shop in Sinchon, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, around 1:15 a.m. that day.

Also, on the 17th, a man in his 40s in Pohang, Gyeongbuk, bit his husband's arm and fled just before being transferred to the hospital but was caught after about four hours. Pohang City revealed that B was a member of Sarang Jeil Church who had been living at the church for a long time since March and came to Pohang on the 13th.

Meanwhile, quarantine authorities expressed concern over the rapid spread of COVID-19.

Jung Eun-kyung, head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters (Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency), said at a COVID-19 briefing on the 18th, "The COVID-19 outbreak is spreading nationwide at a frightening speed. This is the situation that quarantine authorities feared the most."

She added, "Infections originating from religious activity gatherings are causing secondary infections in various places including call centers, daycare centers, and nursing hospitals, including non-metropolitan areas, leading to a chain of transmissions, increasing the risk of nth transmission. If we do not control the outbreak immediately, the number of confirmed cases will increase exponentially and uncontrollably, which could lead to the collapse of the medical system and enormous economic damage."

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