"Try Catching It Too" Sarang Jeil Church Believer Spits and Hugs Female Health Center Worker

A member of Sarang Jeil Church who attended the rally held in Gwanghwamun on the 15th reportedly caused a disturbance by hugging a public health center worker who visited their home and spitting on them.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Seul-gi] A member of Sarang Jeil Church who attended a rally held in Gwanghwamun on the 15th reportedly caused a disturbance by refusing to undergo a COVID-19 test, hugging a visiting public health center worker at their home, and spitting. This member tested positive for COVID-19.

According to Pocheon City, Gyeonggi Province, and quarantine authorities on the 20th, at around 10:30 a.m. on the 17th, epidemiological investigation team staff from the public health center visited Mr. A, who runs a restaurant in Ildong-myeon, to collect specimens.

Mr. A and his husband, Mr. B, were included on the Sarang Jeil Church member list located in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, and it was confirmed that they had attended the Gwanghwamun rally.

Because of this, the quarantine authorities requested the couple to come for testing starting from the 16th, but when they did not comply, the public health center staff visited their restaurant the following day.

When two female public health center workers said, "Why haven't you come for testing? You need to quickly go to the screening clinic by your own car," Mr. A took off her mask and threw it, saying, "I have no symptoms, so why should I get tested? You should take my car and get tested yourselves," while hugging and touching the arms of the public health center workers.

Mr. A also spat around, saying, "You should get COVID-19 too. Since I touched you, you need to get tested."

The public health center requested police assistance to move the couple to the screening clinic for testing. The couple tested positive for COVID-19 the next day, on the 18th, and were transferred to the Ansan Life Treatment Center.

At the time of the disturbance, there were two customers in the restaurant, who also reportedly underwent COVID-19 testing.

Since the couple tested positive, the two public health center workers who were at the scene are currently under self-quarantine.

Previously, the couple took a bus from Pocheon Sports Complex on the morning of the 15th to attend the rally in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. It is known that 37 other people were on the bus with them, and all are currently under epidemiological investigation.

Additionally, on the 16th, the couple visited a church in Ildong and came into contact with seven people, four of whom tested positive for COVID-19 on the 19th.

The quarantine authorities stated that they are considering legal action against Mr. A for causing a disturbance to the public health center workers.

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