Daily Confirmed Cases at 297... Highest Since Shincheonji Outbreak Surge

1185 New COVID-19 Cases in Last Five Days
Government to Obtain Sarang Jeil Church Members List
Plans to Use Telecom Base Station Contact Data

On the 19th, the government strengthened social distancing measures in the Seoul metropolitan area to curb the explosive spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Gatherings and events with more than 50 people indoors and more than 100 people outdoors are, in principle, prohibited until the 30th of this month. This applies not only to exhibitions, public hearings, commemorative ceremonies, and recruitment exams but also to private gatherings such as weddings, alumni meetings, 60th birthday parties, funerals, and first birthday parties, which cannot be held with many people present. Twelve types of high-risk facilities will be required to suspend operations. These facilities include clubs, room salons, and other entertainment bars, colatecs, danran bars, emotional bars, hunting pochas, karaoke rooms, indoor standing concert halls, indoor group exercise (intense GX types), buffets (including those in wedding halls), PC rooms, direct sales promotion centers, and large academies (with 300 or more people). The photo shows the scene of the Youth Street in Jonggak, Seoul, on that day. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporters Choi Dae-yeol and Koo Chae-eun] The newly confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) on the 19th have been counted to nearly 300. This is the highest number of daily new confirmed cases since the recent outbreak began.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, as of midnight on that day, the number of new domestic cases was 297, including 14 imported cases. Most of the cases, 252, were domestic infections centered around the Seoul metropolitan area. This increase is attributed to the steady rise in new cases centered around churches in the metropolitan area, such as Sarang Jeil Church. It is the highest number of daily new confirmed cases since early March when cases related to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus flooded in.

The number of new domestic cases recorded in triple digits has continued for five consecutive days since the 15th, with a cumulative total of 1,128 cases during this period. Including imported cases, the total reaches 1,185 over the past five days.

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun is speaking while presiding over the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting for COVID-19 response held at the Seoul Situation Center of the Central Disaster and Safety Situation Room in the Government Seoul Office Building on the 19th.

The government has implemented high-intensity quarantine measures, including applying Level 2 social distancing in the Seoul metropolitan area starting from that day to curb the spread of COVID-19. Additionally, considering that epidemiological investigations have not been properly conducted in some groups such as Sarang Jeil Church, the government decided to utilize base station connection information. This decision follows criticism that the initial response could be delayed due to a significant number of false entries in the church’s submitted list of congregants.

Similar to the infection cases originating from Itaewon clubs, Sarang Jeil Church has not cooperated with the quarantine authorities’ measures, prompting authorities to track cases based on telecommunications data from service providers. The difficulty in identifying visitors to events such as the Gwanghwamun rallies also played a role. Accordingly, the three major telecom companies, including SK Telecom, agreed to submit telecommunications data on visitors to Sarang Jeil Church and those who stayed for more than 30 minutes at base stations around Gwanghwamun on the 15th.

A Seoul city official stated, "There are many people missing or newly added in the data received from Sarang Jeil Church," adding, "We are conducting a comparison process to finalize the list and have requested telecom companies to submit base station data as soon as possible to ensure accuracy."

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