Eunpyeong-gu Issues Administrative Orders to Sarang Jeil Church and Participants of Gwanghwamun Rally

Direct Delivery of Administrative Orders to 9 Individuals Related to Sarangjeil Church Who Failed to Undergo COVID-19 Testing

Delivery of Administrative Order

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Eunpyeong-gu (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) took administrative measures on the 23rd to issue an administrative order to prevent secondary and tertiary infections in the community following the cluster outbreak of confirmed cases from Sarang Jeil Church and the Gwanghwamun rally.

The number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in Eunpyeong-gu has been steadily increasing since the 15th, reaching 11 new cases on the 19th. From the 15th, when the first confirmed case related to Sarang Jeil Church in Eunpyeong-gu was reported, to the 21st, among the total 48 confirmed cases over seven days, 20 were related to Sarang Jeil Church. Excluding 13 cases still under investigation for infection routes, more than 57% of the total confirmed cases are related to Sarang Jeil Church, indicating a serious situation.

Accordingly, on the afternoon of the 22nd, Eunpyeong-gu officials, including Mayor Kim Mi-kyung, visited the homes of nine individuals related to Seoul Sarang Church who had not yet undergone COVID-19 testing, delivering administrative orders directly and strongly urging compliance with testing.

Additionally, the district received a list of visitors who stayed around Gwanghwamun on the 15th from the Seoul Metropolitan Government and completed a full survey of 357 individuals regarding COVID-19 testing status and symptoms.

The investigation found that 293 residents actually visited the Gwanghwamun area. Among them, 93 underwent COVID-19 testing, with 3 confirmed positive, 13 awaiting results, and 46 still unreachable but being continuously contacted.

Eunpyeong-gu is informing residents related to the Gwanghwamun rally who have not yet been tested that they must undergo diagnostic testing, and warns that failure or delay in testing may result in penalties and claims for damages under relevant laws.

Furthermore, on the 21st, Mayor Kim Mi-kyung held an emergency meeting with Buddhist and Christian leaders to strengthen church quarantine measures (allowing only non-face-to-face worship) and to raise social distancing to level 2 in religious facilities to prevent the spread of COVID-19. She requested, “In this severe weekly crisis with ongoing cluster infections everywhere, the religious community should act as a key player in community quarantine and strictly adhere to the elevated core quarantine rules with heightened awareness.”

She also stated, “The spread of COVID-19 within the community is serious. Those related to Sarang Jeil Church and the Gwanghwamun rally are urged to promptly participate in voluntary testing.”

Meanwhile, she appealed to residents, “If we become lax now, all our efforts so far could be in vain. Please strictly follow mask-wearing, personal hygiene management, and social distancing to overcome this together.”

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